January 31, 2009 by Woolwich Observer

NEWS |

Elmira Theatre Company mines Insanity for a few laughs.........................»18 THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

Menno Flyers take to the pond

»14 VOLUME 14, ISSUE 04

SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 2009

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Local officials warm to budget

» HELpING HANDS

Timing and strings that might be attached to funds for infrastructure are the worry MARC MIQUEL HELSEN

make it happen. “I asked a coach of a team just a little bit older than him if they would help, and within one day, we had more than enough equipment for the boy.” Then staff at PIB Insurance got wind of what was going on

Happy to hear about the infrastructure funding in this week’s budget, local officials say, however, the devil is in the details. The $12 billion announced in the budget could prove helpful as municipalities cope with aging roads, bridges and water pipes, but the timing and implementation of the funding program will really tell just how useful it will be as an economic stimulus measure. There’s some concern the money won’t move fast enough. “I think it’s good, providing the funding flows readily and easily,” Waterloo Region Chair Ken Seiling said in an interview. Funding for infrastructure is seen as a two-pronged approach that will address both the country’s ailing infrastructure, as well as help stem the economic downturn – creating and maintaining jobs through the realization of construction-ready projects will help stimulate the economy.

See HOCKEY page »02

See BUDGET page »02

GIVING KIDs a shoT Mark Fackoury, left, and Bob Waters, right, hold some of the equipment Friends of Hockey has provided to players like K.J. Ferguson. The goal of Friends of Hockey is to help boys and girls who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford equipment and registration fees.

Young hockey players in need have a new friend in town Friends of Hockey help ensure everyone gets a chance to play Canada’s game JONI MILTENBURG A year ago, six-year-old K.J. Ferguson wanted to become a bricklayer. “Now that he’s playing hockey, that’s out the window,” said his grandmother, Ruth Usick. “Now his goal is to play for the

Calgary Flames.” Ferguson isn’t quite ready for the NHL draft just yet, but his skating is improving and he’s having a great time learning the game with his mini team. K.J.’s hockey debut was made possible by the Friends of Hockey, a new community fund to help minor hockey

players who wouldn’t otherwise be able to participate. After K.J.’s mother, Valerie Ferguson, was killed in April 2008, there was a huge outpouring of community support for her two children. Bob Waters, one of the founders of Friends of Hockey, knew K.J. wanted to play and decided to

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2 | NEWS

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

Preschool turns recycling effort into cash MARC MIQUEL HELSEN Have an old cell phone you’d like to get rid of ? How about that old printer cartridge? Wellesley and District Cooperative Preschool (WDCP) will gladly take it off your hands as it looks to help tackle the growing problem of electronic waste and earn some cash all at the same time. Teaming with Cambridge’s Greentec, the company behind the Think Recycle program,

the preschool is collecting old cell phones and cartridges so that they can be processed and recycled. “The primary objective is to raise funds for the school and also to bring awareness of recycling to the kids,” said WDCP president Tammy Egli. Though the children – aged 2 to 4 – are perhaps a little young to fully comprehend the concept of recycling, they are quickly learning about the value and importance of their actions.

It’s all about starting young. “It’s a very good age to start with them on that,” said Egli. “I think it’s a great program for the age of our kids and that they’re starting on that; they’ll be helping me load the boxes going to UPS, and they get an understanding of what it is that we’re doing – I think it’s a great program for them to start their recycling initiative.” More than 300 million empty printer cartridges are generated

in North America each year, representing some 410 million kilograms (900 million lbs) of waste that can potentially end up in landfills. The Think Recycle program has been responsible for the diversion of more than one million cartridges from landfills and has provided nearly $3 million in funding to its participants. According to Greentec, more than 20,000 schools in North America participate in the Think Recycle program.

In addition to doling out money for these materials, Greentec also donates one tree to either Tree Canada or American Forests for every 24 qualifying cell phones or cartridge turned in by participants. WDCP already sent its first shipment and is now waiting to determine the profits. The school gets anywhere from 50 cents to $4 per submitted cell phone or cartridge. It appears that the initiative is moving quickly. “I have a bin sitting

there already and it’s starting to fill up again,” said Egli. “You wouldn’t believe how many people don’t get them refilled (printer cartridges) and just ditch them.” The public can drop off old cell phones or printer cartridges at Wellesley preschool, but are asked to contact Egli to arrange for convenient drop-off or pickup times. For more information, check out www.thinkrecycle.com.

Budget: Municipalities awaiting details of stimulus funds » From cover

“In the area of public works we will be able to expand some contract work, but the area I think that’s really important is the care and upgrade of some of the social housing stock across the region. There’s a huge backlog of work and they’ve indicated they’re prepared to fund some of that work and that can happen fairly quickly if the money flows,” said Seiling. In addition to the $12 billion for infrastructure – $5 billion of which had been previously announced – the budget also includes $8.3 billion for training to support people who have lost their jobs; $7.8 billion for housing and home renovation credits; and $2.7 billion in short-term loans to struggling car manufacturers.

The federal government predicts a $34-billion deficit in 2009, followed by forecasted deficits totalling $85 billion by 2013. All told, it plans to spend $40 billion over the next two years to stimulate the economy, augmented by some $20 billion in tax cuts over five years. The budget will also give municipalities access to significant new funding, available under provincial, territorial and municipal infrastructure initiatives, and will accelerate and expand historic federal investments in infrastructure. Indeed, one of the key issues leading up to the tabling of the budget was the complaint from municipalities that grant monies were not being freed up fast enough. The delivery of billions of dollars allocated

through the Harper government’s Building Canada program ($33-billion infrastructure program in seven years) has been hampered by delays in negotiations between the federal and provincial governments. “I think people would agree that the money hasn’t flowed very easily, generally speaking, part of it having to do with federal and provincial agreements and a variety of things – but the bottom line is: regardless of the cause the money hasn’t flowed as quickly as people would have liked,” said Seiling. That’s certainly been the case in Woolwich, where projects have lingered while the municipality waited for confirmation of the federal portion. Even then, there have been

long lag times between the completion of the infrastructure work and reimbursement from Ottawa, noted Mayor Bill Strauss. Such arrangements are hard on the township’s limited financial resources. As with past infrastructure programs, the budget calls on the province to front $9 billion and requires that municipalities chip in as well, with as-of-yet unspecified amounts. That could prove difficult for some municipalities, said Wellesley’s chief administrative officer, Susan Duke. “We haven’t heard the details on the funding formula; in the past there’s been a full gamut from each level of government paying a third to 100 per cent funding. There are suggestions that it’s going to be on a

one-third-one-third-onethird basis and that’s going to leave some municipalities out because they will not have their one-third available.” That said, Duke noted that she finds the budget announcement encouraging and is anxious to learn about the nuts-andbolts of how the money will be doled out. “I’m certainly encouraged to see that they’re looking at infrastructure funding for municipalities having a population less than 100,000,” she said, noting that previous federal-provincial initiatives, such as COMRIF (Canada-Ontario Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund), made it difficult for some municipalities to vie for money in the competitive application procedure. Wellesley received funding in the first in-

take of COMRIF in 2005 but not in the second; the municipality chose not to apply for the third round, noting that the high costs of conducting engineering studies for the submission could not guarantee that the monies would be secured. “I’m still anxious to see the details of whether or not it is going to be a competition based application or whether they are going to find a way to streamline the funding.” That said, Duke noted that Wellesley is ready with a number of construction projects on tap for 2009. “Until the capital budget is approved we don’t know what work is going forward but we can do a number of projects and it might be a question of determining which one we can afford to do.”

Hockey: Dan Snyder fund helped get organization started » From cover

and outfitted K.J. head to toe with new equipment. K.J. was so delighted with his new gear that he wore it to bed that night, helmet and all. “When I found out what it cost to register a child in hockey, I was floored,” Usick said. “I just sat down and cried my eyes

out, because I thought, what a wonderful thing they were doing. We are just overwhelmed at the support that we’ve got.” Long an informal undertaking, Friends of Hockey took on an official face last fall, the brainchild of Waters, Jake Radcliffe and Mark Fackoury. Along with

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having kids who play hockey, all three men have strong ties to minor hockey in Woolwich: Radcliffe is president of the Woolwich Minor Hockey Association, Waters is a past-president, and Fackoury is on the executive and coaches the Midget AA rep team. Radcliffe’s goal for the

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group is to reach out to boys and girls who otherwise can’t afford the equipment or registration fees, to make it possible for them to play. They can be kids who would like to start or kids already in minor hockey whose families have run into financial difficulties. “We can see that in an economic downturn there will be families where the dad or the mom just don’t have as much income and we want to make sure that their kids either have the opportunity to play hockey or can continue to play hockey,” Waters said. So far the fund has helped six young players with equipment and registration fees. The Dan Snyder Memorial Foundation made a cash contribution to get Friends of Hockey started. An anonymous

businessman made another contribution, an NHL player committed to provide equipment, and they’ve received a memorial donation. “This thing started to spread without any advertising,” Waters said. “We’re kind of surprised at the way it’s taken off.” Friends of Hockey is based on a model used to help Mark Noot, the Winterbourne man who was stricken in the meningitis outbreak in Waterloo Region 10 years ago. People in the region started a fund for him that raised around $130,000. Waters said they’re keeping the organization simple, to cut down on bureaucracy and protect the privacy of the families who need help. “It’s absolutely sensitive,” Waters said. “I don’t even know the names of the people

who’ve been helped, it’s screened that well.” Anyone who needs assistance can contact Friends of Hockey by sending an email to radcliffes@rogers.com, briefly outlining the circumstances and the assistance required. During the Hockeyville marathon earlier this month, Usick sat in the crowded stands and watched K.J. and his team skate onto the ice under an archway of hockey sticks held by the Elmira Sugar Kings, a moment that was both proud and sad. Usick said their daughter Valerie was into baseball, but with K.J. playing, they’re getting a taste of being hockey parents. “I laughed at his papa … I said, ‘there, you missed out on having a son and going early mornings to a cold arena, and here you are.’”

LEADING OFF

» NEWS |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

“It’s great for kids to be able to play in front of people too: that’s how they learn.” Christina Robinson

KeePING IT loCal Christina Robinson of Soul2Soul hopes the open band night at Elmira’s Central Tavern becomes a regular outlet for local musicians.

pHOTO | MARC MIQUEL HELSEN

Musicians making a scene Propose a regular open jam session at Central Tavern to showcase local talent MARC MIQUEL HELSEN It’s been a long time coming, but it looks as though Elmira might finally get some night life. Looking to provide Elmira’s budding musicians with a regular venue to showcase their talents, and residents a fun night out, a local band is teaming up with the Central Tavern downtown to offer up music nights every two weeks. “What we want to do is kind of start a musical community in Elmira,” said Soul2Soul’s bassist Christina Robinson. “Elmira’s just full of talent,” she said. Having celebrated her birthday at the Tavern with her

EE RY FR IVE L DE

bandmates at an open jam night Jan. 10, Robinson was pleasantly surprised by the number of musicians who showed up. Overwhelmed by that positive response, Robinson and her band – a three-piece ensemble playing covers such as “Low Rider” and “Born Under a Bad Sign”– are now seeking to make the watering hole a part of the local music scene. “There was such a good response to it, we thought, ‘man this town needs it,’” said Robinson, noting that to get her fill of live music she has to head southwards to Waterloo, to Maxwell’s Music House or Failte Irish Pub on King Street. Long lineups, and expensive cab rides home, however, are something of an in-

convenience – having a venue within walking distance from home would be ideal. It would also help stimulate the local music scene. So far, there is little in the way of local public venues that offer up regular concerts or performances, said Robinson. Elmira District Secondary School offers up the odd coffeehouse jam, but Robinson is shooting for something more regular and which covers a broader range of musicians of all ages. The idea of staging shows at the Central Tavern seemed to be a nobrainer. “It holds the people and we can do it for free; it’s not like we have to rent it,” said Robinson, noting the cover charge will be the nominal sum of $2.

W • O • O • L • W • I • C • H

“They have the bar, they’ve got the space, they’ve got the stage, they’ve got the lights – we’re bringing our own PA system – it’s great.” Hoping to see an audience reception similar to what she saw earlier this month, Robinson geared up for another open jam Thursday night. “We thought, ‘if that goes really well’ we should do this more often if there’s a big response to it.” EDSS student Dan Bossenberry – who this December won the Waterloo Region Record’s Within Ear Shot music video contest – was also on hand to help bridge the gap between Elmira’s older and younger generations of musicians. “We really want to get young-

er kids up and doing it,” said Robinson. “It’s really cool to see how keen the younger kids are.” Indeed, Robinson hopes that open band night will become a mixed-ages event at the tavern taking place every other week during the winter months when more residents are in town. “It’s great for kids to be able to play in front of people too: that’s how they learn. We know so many different musical families in town here,” Robinson said, noting that she regularly jams with her kids, who play the bass and the keyboards. “They think our music’s lame and we think their music is kind of lame,” she quipped. “But it’s a good family thing.”

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4 | NEWS

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

» FROM THE EDITOR | STEVE KANNON

Regional tourism plan stays within limits On a day that plays out like an advertisement for immediately booking a trip to the sunny south, Susan Cudahy is charged up about tourism opportunities in Waterloo Region. Of course, that may have something to do with just having spent some time in Mexico, which can tend to make one a little more sanguine about yet another snowfall. There’s nothing about January that prompts anyone to say, “Let’s spend a couple of weeks in Waterloo Region.” Let’s be honest, there’s little reason to do so at any time of the year, which is why the Waterloo Region Tourism Marketing Corporation (WRTMC) that Cudahy heads focuses on daytrippers and those looking for a weekend getaway. The target audience for the group’s marketing message is older women, followed by family women 25 to 45 years of age. The reason being that when it comes to family decisions about where to go, it’s the women who get things rolling, Cudahy informs Woolwich councillors this week, part of an update about WRTMC’s first full year of operation, it having been launched in 2007. As a single guy, I can see why the organization is looking elsewhere: If I didn’t live here, there wouldn’t be much reason to come to Waterloo Region in my leisure time. Sure, there’s a business community that’s the envy of many other parts of Canada – even in these uncertain times – but that’s

not a draw when it comes time to book a vacation. Europe is my preferred destination when it’s time to holiday. Weekend getaway? Chicago, New York and Boston, to name a few, spring more readily to mind. Clearly, then, I’m not WRTMC’s demographic. No, the target is those women within a two-hour drive of here. The local tourism operators have their eyes firmly set on Torontonians looking for something a little different to do on Saturday, or maybe opting for a getaway – a spa weekend and a little local colour, perhaps. St. Jacobs is, of course, the centerpiece of the region’s tourism industry. It has international brand recognition, and has proven exceedingly successful in drawing tourists from both near and far. As events go, Oktoberfest claims the highest profile. But what else makes for a unique experience, here in an area bereft of geographic interest, scenery or attractive architecture? Plenty, apparently, says Cudahy … and convincingly. “There are some real hidden gems in the region: the arts scene, galleries, theatres. There’s a lot of underground stuff that’s kind of funky that we’re just starting to discover.” Her group is keen on wrapping together a number of experiences to entice visitors out, or to perhaps extend their stay. A big show at the Centre In The Square or event at the celebrated Perimeter Institute, for instance, could be the catalyst for a weekend stay at a much lower cost than seeing the same

performance in Toronto. The idea is to pique peoples’ interest about the possibilities of discovery that await them if they venture this way. But it’s all done within a realistic framework: This isn’t Niagara Falls or any other locale with an obvious hook. “We don’t believe we’re a destination that’s going to rival St. Lucia,” she says as yet another snowfall envelopes the region. “There’s not that huge iconic draw to the area.” In the absence of a massive waterfall, soaring peaks, canyon or even a waterfront, it’s the little things that count. In the next little while, for instance, she’ll be telling ghost stories, as the tourism group gathers up tales about haunting and other observances of spectres in the region, including the ghost at the Waterlot Restaurant in New Hamburg. Along with the leisure side of tourism, WRTMC also promotes the region as a good place for business meetings and conventions, playing up the hightech business and research community. All of the other pursuits – the arts,

recreation and fine dining among them – are highlighted as diversions for the spouses and families of those visiting here for business purposes. It’s something of a package deal. Perusing the website (www.explorewaterlooregion.com), it’s easy to see there are far more things on the go in the area than those of us who live here are aware of. Particularly useful for residents is the comprehensive listing of events. Again, the goal is to draw in even locals, inviting you to discover something new about your own backyard … and perhaps part with a few dollars in doing so. In that regard, it’s very much a buy-local effort when the best prescription for the economic downturn is to keep money in local hands. The “staycations” that became popular last summer due to high gas prices – “people weren’t heading up to the cottage as much, and were parking the motorhomes” – are also a good fit in tougher times. Today, however, I think I like the Mexico idea a little better.

Joe Walsh

What’s the best book you’ve read lately? I’m currently reading The Private Life of Chairman Mao. Other hobbies? Soccer. I’m originally from Europe, so I don’t skate. Where are you from? Ireland. One stereotype about Irish people that isn’t true? Fighting. We don’t do a lot of fighting. We do like our beer.

» ABOUT FACE

Do you have your copy of the new 2009 Township Waste Collection Calendar? It details existing and new services available to you this year, and was delivered to homes in North Dumfries, Wellesley and Wilmot Townships during the week of January 19. What new services? all residents. • Bi-weekly yard waste collection in the settlement areas. • Curbside collection of Christmas trees in the settlement areas.

Need a calendar? • Pick one up at your township office, local library or waste transfer station. • Download a copy at www.region.waterloo.on.ca/waste. • Call 519-883-5100.

photo | JONI MILTENBURG

• Monthly large item collection for

Librarian – St. Teresa Elementary School

How long have you been librarian here? 10 years. What’s the best part of the job? The kids. They’re a great antidote for adults and all their cares and worries. What’s the best kids’ book you’ve come across? In recent time, Scaredy Squirrel.

NEWS |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

There’s a lot of hurry-up-andwait going on in Woolwich’s Hockeyville bid, but organizers are keeping busy planning for what comes next if the community advances to the top-five list. The public has been submitting ideas for showcasing the township should a CBC TV crew come rolling to film a segment: the story of each finalist will be aired prior to voting for the ultimate winner. One item already in the works is a pancake breakfast highlighting the products of the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival. Organizers, however, have no idea when the winner of the Ontario region – Woolwich is up against Lincoln – will be announced. Last weekend, Terrace, B.C. was named the first finalist. The next name will be announced during Saturday’s Hockey Night in Canada broadcast, with the rest coming in the next three weeks, meaning Woolwich could know tonight or as late as Feb. 21. “We’re trying to plan for something we don’t know is going to happen or not,” said LuAnn Snyder, one of the local Hockeyville committee members.

Brace yourself for more taxes

The only thing as certain as death and taxes is property tax increases … and Woolwich residents will start paying out Mar. 6, the date Woolwich council this week set for the first interim tax payments. The next hit follows on May 8, with the full extent of the jumps coming in the remaining two installments later in the year.

» BIRTHDAY GIVING

Seven-year-old puts party on ice Celebration to take place at arena, with guests bringing items for the food bank JONI MILTENBURG Tanner Mann is serving up a different sort of hockey banquet for his birthday party next Saturday. Mann, who just turned seven on Jan. 23, is asking his classmates to donate food for the food bank instead of gifts for his birthday party. Tanner, an avid hockey player, was torn between going to a Kitchener Rangers game and renting the ice at the Albert McCormick arena in Waterloo. He finally decided he’d rather celebrate with his friends and classmates at Conestogo Public School, where he gave invitations to two classes and their siblings and his principal, Mr. Martin. “I gave it to pretty much the whole school but a few,” Tanner said. “We’re going to be skating, and then we’re going to do the donation.” “The kids never get to go on the ice with their sticks just to play,” said Tanner’s mom, Monica. “It’s either during hockey or no sticks.”

photo | joni miltenburg

Keeping things at the boil

THE PERFECT GIFT Seven-year-old Tanner Mann has invited two classes from Conestogo Public School to his birthday party. At the suggestion of his mom, Monica, he’s asking for food for the food bank instead of presents.

They wouldn’t normally have such a big party, but it didn’t make sense to rent the ice for a handful of people. Monica said the idea to ask for food was partly his and partly hers. “He wasn’t quite sure exactly what we wanted to do, but he knew he

didn’t need to have that many presents.” They decided that donating to the food bank was something that didn’t require the parents to spend a lot of money or go to a lot of effort on their kids’ behalf. Monica and her hus-

Hort. society gets new board Knights of Columbus hand out awards The Elmira and District Horticulture

band try to instil in their three sons the importance of doing for others. At Christmas, each of the kids gives a gift for the angel tree and Monica donates to the food bank. Monica said she was going to school when her oldest son, Zack, was

STEVE KANNON

POSTER KIDS Winners of the Knights of Columbus’ annual Substance Abuse Awareness poster campaign showed off their medals and certificates at St. Teresa Catholic School last week. From left: Tyler Moser, Laura Bertrand, Clarice Goetz and Kristen Horst.

When the Woolwich Memorial Centre opens later this year, the township will be on familiar ground with the bulk of the offerings, including arenas and pools, but is entering unchartered territory with the planned fitness centre. With that in mind, Woolwich will be circulating a request for proposals (RFP) to operate this new facet of the multi-

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born. “It was just he and I, and it was a rough road. Now that we ‘have’, it’s important to give back.” Tanner isn’t going without gifts altogether; his parents got him a Nintendo DS and what he calls “hockey underthings.”

Township seeking proposals for new fitness centre

PHOTO | MARC MIQUEL HELSEN

Society found enough new people to serve as directors to remain vibrant and eligible for key grants. In December, Tony and Anne Vorstenbosch, now past-presidents of the society, asked for the public’s help in filling a number of vacant positions on the board of directors. With a membership over 200, the society is eligible for a $1,500 grant from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, but only with a president and board of directors. Lyn Schwindt will serve a oneyear interim term as president, and Christine Aberle, the junior garden convenor, will serve as vice-president. Carla Brechin is one of the new directors, and will serve as education meeting convenor. Mary Austin and Barb Detweiler stepped up as hospitality convenors. The new executive was in place in time for Tony Vorstenbosch to send off grant applications.

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use recreation facility now under construction in Elmira. Terms of the RFP were approved at council Tuesday night. The fitness centre will occupy about 1,100 square feet on the second floor of the 113,000-sq.-ft., $23 million facility. As well as a free-standing resource, it’s expected to be used in conjunction with the seniors’ and youth centres, as well as by the Elmira Sugar Kings hockey club. See FITNESS page »06

6 | NEWS

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

Fitness: Location at WMC will be new feature in Woolwich

School’s just like home for a day

PHOTO | JONI MILTENBURG

» From page 05

BREAK OUT THE BUNNY SLIPPERS Tony Domzella, Annastasia Ferguson, Jasmine Thuroo, Caleb Schlueter and Tia Ruza were sporting their finest flannel, bathrobes and fuzzy slippers for Pajama Day at Elmira’s John Mahood P.S. Jan 23.

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plained. “It will weed out the non-serious,” agreed Coun. Mark Bauman. While the township is looking for third-party operators to make bids, it has not ruled out running the centre as an inhouse program, Devitt noted in response to a question from Coun. Ruby Weber. Even if run by an outside company, the fitness centre would still operate crossover programs with the pool and other amenities at the WMC. Interested parties will have until Apr. 17 to submit a proposal.

When the WMC is completed, the fitness space will be nothing but painted walls and a cushioned floor, with the successful bidder for the operation expected to supply all the necessary equipment and furnishings. The detailed RFP presented by recreation and facilities director Larry Devitt raised some eyebrows in its scope, prompting him to note the township wants only qualified applicants taking part in the process. “We want serious responses. We’re not taking this lightly,” he ex-

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NEWS |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

Return of snow makes roads treacherous

ICY CONDITIONS TAKE A TOLL The driver of this car was eastbound on Crowsfoot Road on Thursday morning when he lost control on an icy section, rolled and went into the ditch. The driver, who was the only person in the vehicle, complained of neck, back and head injuries. No charges were laid and police continue the investigation.

» LAW & ORDER

Wallenstein shotgun blast linked to Niagara arrest, local gun theft »»

January 21

3:44 PM | Police received a report of a suspicious male near Riverside Public School in Elmira. The man appears to have been in the area the previous day as well at approximately 2:30 p.m., and was wearing the same clothes in both incidents. The complainant observed the man on the walkway of a William Street residence. Police attended the home in question and interviewed the resident, who confirmed that no such man lives there. Footprints in the snow led from the path into the home’s back deck area, and then into a neighbouring alley. There was no damage, and no signs of a break-in attempt. The suspicious individual was described as a white male, in his 40s, with orange hair, a patch over one eye and wearing a black leather jacket and tan pants.

»»

January 22

8:10 AM | Only minor injuries were reported following a collision at Arthur Street and Kenning Place in Elmira. A single vehicle had been southbound on Arthur Street when it pulled out to pass another vehicle, lost control on some ice, crossed through the northbound lane and rolled into a ditch. 10:30 AM | Police received a report that two men had attempted to use two counterfeit $100 bills at the Esso station on Arthur Street South in Elmira. The men, driving a gold Volkswagen, attempted to purchase two jugs of washer fluid. When their bills were refused, they paid with genuine currency and left. They were

A shotgun blast that shattered the front window of the Wallenstein General Store Jan. 25 eventually led police to a string of similar incidents and some stolen weapons. In the Wallenstein incident, officers arriving at the scene found entry had been gained to the building through a broken window at the rear of the store. The store was empty at the time, and it’s not known if anything was stolen. In addition to entering the building, the suspect is believed to have shot at the front window with a shotgun. After this incident police later learned that a 21-year-old Elmira man had been arrested by Niagara Regional Police when an officer approached him on a traffic stop and soon discovered that he had a loaded shotgun in the vehicle. The investigation led to a St. Clements-area individual whose business had been broken into. There it was discovered by police that a gun locker in that facility had been breached and some guns stolen. On Jan. 27, police officers were approached by a Wallenstein-area resident and informed that three additional businesses in the Wallenstein and Hawkesville areas had been shot at with a shotgun. The office areas in those businesses appeared to be the targets. Two of those three businesses had been empty at the time, although in one an employee had been within the office at the time of the shooting. The investigation has been taken over by WRPS detectives, who are looking at the possibility that the man arrested by Niagara Regional Police is connected to these other local incidents. described as being in their early twenties and speaking with European accents. The investigation continues. 11:50 PM | A vehicle was left running in front of Mac’s convenience store on Arthur Street in Elmira. A 20-year-old man who was in the store at the time and had been drinking, got into the vehicle and took off. He was located soon after by police at the roundabout near St. Jacobs. The driver pulled over and surren-

dered. He was subsequently charged with ‘impaired driving,’ and ‘theft.’

»»

January 24

3:40 PM | A resident of a Flamingo Drive, Elmira apartment building reported the smell of marijuana smoke in the hallways. Officers responded, seizing a quantity of marijuana. 9:50 PM | Police received yet another call, this time from Centre Street, reporting the

smell of marijuana in the area. A small amount of marijuana was seized from a 26-year-old man.

»»

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January 25

12:00 AM | A local couple was following another vehicle all the way from Listowel, along Line 86, into Elmira. The vehicle had been weaving all over the roadway. The vehicle finally pulled into a parking lot of an apartment building on Snyder Avenue in Elmira. The young couple blocked the vehicle, and the driver got out of the car with a drink of rum in his hand. Police arrived on scene and the young male was arrested for impaired driving, and was charged with “refuse to provide breath sample” and prohibited driving. 5:20 PM | Police received a report that a vehicle had struck a tree near the water tower in Elmira, in the area of Floradale Road and Listowel Road. No major injuries were reported. It appears that the driver, a 17-year-old girl, had lost control over an icy portion of roadway.

»»

WEEKLY SPECIALS

January 26

3:00 AM | A group of males and females entered a restaurant and ordered several items. When the employees were distracted, the group of young persons took a coffeepot, some filters and a napkin dispenser as well as a recycling box from the front area. The entire incident was captured on video and police were able to identify the individuals. The stolen items were returned and the investigation continues.

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8 | COMMENT & OPINION

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31 2009

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» EDITORIAL

Tories winging it with new budget If Preston Manning were dead, he’d be rolling in his grave this week following the release of the new federal budget. The massive amounts of spending and huge deficits are anathema to the Reform party and its followers, the core supporters of Stephen Harper’s Conservatives. The prime minister himself undoubtedly finds the whole thing equally cringeworthy. This budget is simple political expediency: Canadians are unhappy with the way Harper’s government has handled the economic crisis it was denying just months ago. That the opposition parties were threatening to pull the plug on the government – and Harper’s career – added to the urgency surrounding the fiscal about-face. The most notable part of the budget is the planned $64 billion deficit over the next two years ($85 billion over five), even as Harper promised there would be no deficit and that Canada would ride out the recession, even posting a surplus to round out 2008 – wrong on all counts. Having gone 12 years with surpluses that helped pay down the accumulated debt, Canada was in better shape than most of

the other industrialized countries when the financial meltdown and resultant recession hit. But two years of the Conservative government spending like sailors on shore leave while also cutting taxes in the most ineffective manner – the two percentage points from the GST, for instance – left the coffers bare when the recession hit, apparently catching nobody but the Tories by surprise. Tuesday’s budget represents a major shift in the government’s position. On tap is some $40 billion in stimulus over the next two years, featuring a mix of infrastructure spending and tax cuts (about $20 billion worth over five years). The budget also solidified plans for the auto industry bailout ($2.7 billion in shortterm loans). As well, the government will float up $200 billion to inject some liquidity into the markets, allowing lenders to make money more readily available to businesses and consumers. While Harper has certainly broken with ideology and opted to pour billions into the economy, there’s every reason to doubt the move will be successful – there are far too many things that can go wrong.

» VERBATIM “The Harper government’s millions to dangerous nuclear energy and the pipe dream of carbon capture and storage are an environmental travesty and an unnecessary burden to taxpayers.” Greenpeace’s Dave Martin on the $750-million energy budget item

On the spending side, the government has already shown itself adept at announcing infrastructure programs, but far less so at actually paying out the cash. Of the $12 billion announced for infrastructure projects, only $7 billion is new money, the rest is already in the pipeline. As local municipalities have discovered, it can be a few years before projects get approval and the cheque arrives. If that’s the case again here, the stimulus may be wasted. As for the tax cuts, they’ll prove minimal in most cases – we’re talking a few hundred dollars. While those at the lowest income levels can reasonably be expected to spend the money in short order, many of us may opt to pocket the savings or apply it against mounting debt loads. To add insult to injury, some of the tax cuts may be temporary, but there’s a real risk the government’s direction will undermine future efforts to bring deficits under control, just as we saw under the Mulroney tenure. The jury is still out, but with no real vision for the future – where’s the push to move beyond old technologies? – being optimistic requires a leap of faith.

» THE MONITOR Canada’s international aid was not addressed in this week’s budget. Canada is currently not even halfway to reaching the 0.7% target, stuck at 0.32% of GNI. It’s estimated that Official Development Assistance for 2009/10 will be $4.8 billion, unchanged from 2008/09, despite an 8% increase previously announced through 2010. Canadian Council for International Co-operation (CCIC)

COMMENT & OPINION |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

» HARD TALK | RAFE MAIR

Long path of accomplishments led to Obama’s inauguration During Barack Obama’s inaugural address, while watching a black man become the most powerful person in the world, these reflections came to mind. I recalled the day during the Second World War when a prominent black West Indies cricketer who was part of the crew of a British aircraft carrier (no doubt assigned to mess duty) came to play at Brockton Point in Vancouver. He was asked to change clothes in a separate room. I remembered the downtown Vancouver hotels that wouldn’t take the great Nat “King” Cole as a guest.

I thought of Jackie Robinson, in 1946 the first black in “organized” baseball and who was the most valuable player in the International League in that, his rookie year. I thought of the wonderful story of Robinson, about to play his first major league game in Ebbets Field for the Brooklyn Dodgers, kissing his wife Rachel goodbye and telling her, “You’ll recognize me out on the field ... I’ll be wearing number 42!” And I remember the other aging black stars of the Negro Leagues who followed Robinson: Sam Jethroe, Luke Easter, Larry Doby, Monte Irvin and the amazing Leroy “Satchel” Paige, who was a major league “rookie” at 42 and went on to play professional baseball well into his 50s. And I recall how our math teacher, Russ

Robinson, let us listen to the 1948 World Series game where Paige came in to pitch for the Cleveland Indians. I thought, as the President spoke, of how sports, especially team sports look today compared to when their teams were made up of whites only. I asked myself just how good were Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, Ted Williams, Stan Musial and the like when they never had to face the likes of a Paige in his prime? I looked back with admiration for Willie Mays, Roy Campanella, Joe Morgan, Bob Gibson, Roberto Clemente, Ozzie Smith and so many other blacks who transformed baseball to what it is today. And, of course, I thought of Tiger Woods.

The social issue of my early adulthood was Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, the 1954 case where the Supreme Court of the United States banned segregation in U.S. schools. This segued into the case of Autherine Lucy, a plucky young black woman who stared down the bigots of Alabama, including Governor George Wallace, and enrolled in the University of Alabama; then there were the nine black youngsters who, in 1957, walked to school in Little Rock Arkansas past jeering white parents and became the first black students at Central High School. I well remembered on Oct. 1, 1962, after riots leaving two dead and 48 injured, James Meredith became the first black student at the University See MAIR »10

» INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS | GWYNNE DYER

Britain emerges as a model for multi-racial societies If you are the head of something called the Equality and Human Rights Commission, your job is to complain about the racism, gender discrimination and general unfairness of the society you live in. So Trevor Phillips, the chairman of Britain’s E&HRC, broke with tradition when he said last week that Britain is “by far – and I mean by far – the best place in Europe to live if you are not white.” Phillips, whose own heritage is black Caribbean, made his remarks on the 10th anniversary of a report on the murder of a young black Londoner, Stephen Lawrence, that condemned the police as “institutionally racist.” So they were, at the time – but having lived in London half my life, I think Phillips is right. Things have changed. Lucinda Platt of the Institute of Social and Economic Research at Essex University thinks so too. She has just published a report revealing that one in five children in Britain now belongs to an ethnic minority – and one in 10 lives in a mixed-race family. The first statistic might merely confirm Enoch Powell’s fears of 40 years ago. The second proves that he was utterly wrong. Enoch Powell was the Conserva-

tive politician who made a famous speech in 1968 predicting race war if the United Kingdom did not stop non-white immigration from the former empire. He dressed it up with quotes from the classics, but the message was plain: “As I look ahead, I am filled with foreboding. Like the Roman, I seem to see ‘the River Tiber foaming with much blood.’ “That tragic and intractable phenomenon which we watch with horror on the other side of the Atlantic,” Powell went on, referring to the race riots that devastated many large American cities after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, “… is coming upon us here by our own volition and our own neglect. Indeed, it has all but come. In numerical terms, (the non-white part of the British population) will be of American proportions long before the end of the century. Only resolute and urgent action will avert it even now.” Powell was promptly expelled from the shadow cabinet, but an opinion poll soon afterwards showed that 74 per cent of the British population shared his fears. The general opinion at the time in Europe, based mainly on observation of the American experience, was that different races could not live comfortably together. Fast forward 40 years, and Britain is more or less as Powell predicted: the proportion of non-whites among its citizens is almost the same as it

is in the United States. But the next generations of British are not fighting each other, as Powell predicted; they are marrying each other. Among British children who have an Indian heritage, 11 per cent live in families with one white parent. Among kids with a Chinese heritage, 35 per cent have one white parent. Among children with a black Caribbean heritage, 49 per cent do. Including my next-door neighbours. Among Muslim Britons the rate is much lower (only four per cent for kids of Pakistani heritage), but the younger generation of British people is largely blind to ethnicity, religious differences, all the old shibboleths. And apart from some former mill towns where unskilled immigrants from a single ethnic group confront the old white working class, both of them now unemployed, there are few racially segregated ghettoes in Britain. Of London’s 32 boroughs, none is less than 10 per cent non-white. Only three reach 50 per cent, and those just barely. Despite the happy-ever-after inauguration of Barack Obama, the urban scene in New York, Los Angeles or Chicago is dramatically different. This does not prove that British people are more virtuous than Americans. It just shows that people of different races can live comfortably together, can even come to see

race as essentially irrelevant to their choice of mate, provided that there is no heritage of race-based slavery. The French “race riots” of 2005 and 2007 occasioned much discussion of France’s failure to integrate its immigrants, but lots of angry white kids took part in those riots too. The same was true of the Brixton “race riots” in London in 1981. They were actually anti-police riots, and whites were welcome to join. Many did. Eastern Europe is different: it has far fewer non-whites, and so it is far more racist. But Britain, and to a lesser extent France, are rather like Canada, another country that was 98 per cent white only 50 years ago, but now has a racial diversity that equals or exceeds that of the United States. Yet it simply isn’t an issue for most of the young. Indeed, London and Toronto are probably the two best cities in the world in which to bring up mixed-race kids. None of this detracts from the historic achievement of Americans in electing a black (well, all right, mixed-race) president. It’s just to say that it was much harder to do that in the United States because of the malign influence of history. All the more credit to Americans for doing it anyway. And full marks to the British and the Canadians for showing that race really doesn’t matter when history doesn’t get in the way.

mation meeting. Of the three routes GRT proposed, they didn’t select the one seniors chose. In winter, seniors will be unable to get to the narrow downtown bus corridor. Without a better way, seniors will use the excellent Kiwanis service, not Grand River Transit. The minimal hours of operation appear to be catering to the 9-5 commuter, who will be able to get to work on the GRT bus. Except the bus won’t run after 6 p.m. on weekdays, after 4 p.m. on Saturdays or at all on Sundays. And GRT is only committing to one year. Commuters will keep their cars, not use transit.

GRT is offering virtually no service outside of school hours. Our young people will not be able to access the wider world of education, arts, entertainment, volunteerism or employment that would be open to them if the GRT bus would operate on a longer schedule. With no evening or meaningful weekend service, our youth can either get parental rides or get behind the wheel themselves, but they cannot use Grand River Transit. “You’ve got to use it or lose it.” The problem is that this GRT service won’t be used if it doesn’t operate when and where it is needed. Public transit can be an invaluable

service, and a boon to the environment if properly implemented and used. A boon to young people and their families by providing an alternative to the expense of running a car, high insurance premiums and graduated licensing. A boon to a community by offering safe alternatives to hitchhiking or impaired driving – personally, I think we already have more than enough names inscribed on the Fountain of Memories. Why is Grand River Transit implementing a service that will not serve the needs of the community? Laurie Jonkman Elmira

» LETTERS TO THE EDITOR How useful is planned bus service to Elmira really going to be? To the Editor, Grand River Transit is coming to town. Finally. The Jan. 24 issue of the Observer quoted Mayor Bill Strauss warning us, “You’ve got to use it or lose it.” There’s no question Elmira wants GRT service, but what service is GRT offering us? GRT seems to have ignored the feedback from their October public infor-

10 | COMMENT & OPINION

Mair: Many battles on road to change » From page 09

of Mississippi, “Ole Miss.” I thought of the ‘60s and the freedom fighters who toured the South to help blacks to register to vote and to be able to eat in any restaurant they wished; of Thursday, Dec. 1, 1955, when Rosa Parks refused to give her seat up to a white passenger on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, setting up a 381-day black boycott which inspired the Civil Rights movement and led to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in November 1956 that segregation on transportation was unconstitutional. Then jazz, the unique cultural present America has given the world came to mind and I thought of those musicians I admired so much – Canada’s Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Thomas “Fats” Waller, Duke Ellington and so many other brilliant artists. I pondered the Benny Goodman Quartet. In the mid ‘30s, Goodman hired two blacks, pianist Teddy Wilson and vibes pioneer Lionel Hampton. This wasn’t the first time blacks and whites had played together but it was the most important moment, musically and socially. Of this Lionel Hampton said, “As far as I’m concerned, what he [Goodman] did in those days – and they were hard days, in 1937 – made it possible for Negroes to have their chance in baseball and other fields.” Then there is the story of the great black singer Marian Anderson. In 1939, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) refused permission for Anderson to sing to an integrated

audience in Constitution Hall. The District of Columbia Board of Education declined a request to use the auditorium of a white public high school. As a result of the ensuing furor, thousands of DAR members, including then-first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, resigned. Finally, it was arranged that she would hold a concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, the same steps where last Tuesday people crowded to hear Obama. On Easter Sunday, 1939, Marian Anderson, in the shadow of the memorial to the “Great Emancipator,” sang to a crowd of more than 75,000 of all colours, and a national radio audience of millions. And who could not be reminded of Martin Luther King, again with Lincoln looking down upon him from his memorial, who, on Aug. 28, 1963 ended his great “I have a dream” speech with these stirring words: “When we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, ‘Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!’” As the president spoke, my thoughts went to November 2007 when Wendy and I were in Dakar, Senegal, where we saw, in horror, a sight that literally took the breath away: the jails black slaves were stuffed into while they awaited the slaving boats where they were then chained together, 10 to the space of one.

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31 2009

» OBSERVER Q&A

Do you think the government is on the right track with the new budget?

“They’re heading in the right direction. They’re trying.”

“I think so. I hope so.”

“Yeah”

“I think so, yeah.”

» Julie Eby

» John Bisch

» Margaret Moser

» Steve Ramage

» THE VIEW FROM HERE | SCOTT ARNOLD

WITH YET ANOTHER BLAST OF WINTER, BRESLAU BECOMES THE REGION’S NUMBER-ONE SHORT-TERM TOURIST DESTINATION. Being chained meant that if an anti-slaver ship came near, it was easy to dump the cargo overboard; not only was it easier, there would be no visual proof to be concerned with. We saw the jails on the other shore in Recife, Brazil, where perhaps half of those enslaved survived to meet their new masters. We saw the spot in Recife where the auctions of fellow human beings took place. As I listened to the new

American president, nothing struck me so hard as did his observation that a son of a man who “less than 60 years ago, might not have been served at a local restaurant, [could] now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.” But wasn’t it, after all, just political theatre where commentators pointed out that the ceremony was running late? Just another chest thumping American extravaganza starring

all the beautiful people being watched by the masses? Did it really have any more meaning than when George W. Bush or Bill Clinton were sworn in? After all, there was no policy laid out, no promises of specific things, nothing concrete to go on. All President Obama gave to the hundreds of millions who watched the inauguration speech was what Franklin Roosevelt gave on his inauguration on Mar. 4,

1933: Hope. Hope. Hope that America would recover its moral balance and return to justifiable leadership on the world stage; hope that America, wounded fiscally and morally, still had life and could recover. Without hope, there is no foundation to build upon. But a nation with hope in its heart, combined with a president whose leadership justifies that hope, can make those dreams come true.

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COMMENT & OPINION |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

» LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

A question for those who say they know best To the Editor, This letter is in response to the $9.1 million that has been received to date by the Township of Centre Wellington thanks to their new racetrack. As we all know, the people of Elmira refused this facility. They were told that this facility would degrade Elmira and lead to moral decay, etc. Where is the moral and civic decay in Elora? The $9.1 million received by Centre Wellington would equate to roughly $3,000 per household in Elmira, money that could have been used to lower taxes or improve the lives of Woolwich residents. It would be of interest to hear what the many naysayers have to say now. This illustrates how vital it is to ques-

tion the assertions of those who loudly tell us what’s best. Mark Shortreed Wellesley

Budget now for tougher times ahead

To the Editor, The federal government being on the verge of plunging us back into deficit in the tune of $85 billion over the next two years should be a warning to provincial and municipal governments. It may be argued that it is a necessary evil to help keep our fragile economy afloat, but let us not forget our past. When the Liberals took over in 1993 they were faced with a $42 billion deficit. It took the Liberal government until 1998 to balance the budget again (the first time in 29 years). This came at a great expense to Canadians: Huge cutbacks in

transfer payments to the provinces and, ultimately, a financial burden to the municipalities. We witnessed downloading of programs to the municipalities without the necessary funds to operate them. When the economy begins to improve, and the federal government begins to tackle the deficits incurred today, we need to be prepared for the reality. I would caution our township administration as they plan their budgets for not only this year but in the

Write a letter to the Editor.

future that tougher times lay ahead. Now would be an appropriate time for Woolwich council to review all current and future spending. Look for long-term cost savings and efficiencies. Today our country will get a necessary financial life line, but tomorrow the municipality will have to deal with the effects and still preserve the standard of life we enjoy here in Woolwich. Todd Cowan Elmira

We’re looking for a few good letter writers. Do you have what it takes? Any opinion on a current event will do.

1/27/09 10:14 AM| Page 1 519.669.5790 | 1.888.966.5942 www.ObserverXtra.com

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12 | BUSINESS

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

BUSINESS » THE HOMEY TOUCH

Passion for crafts leads to Elmira retail operation Dianne Baker finds no time for retirement as the namesake for Gramma B’s Craft Den It wasn’t long after retiring from her job in politics that Dianne Baker realized she wasn’t quite ready for the home life. Instead, she enlisted the help and support of her daughter and son-in-law and turned one of her life-long passions – arts and crafts – into one of Elmira’s newest businesses. The result? Gramma B’s Craft Den on the top floor of the Elmira Shopping Village at Arthur and Church streets. “It came about because I retired. I didn’t think much of that. I thought I’d want to retire because then I’d have all kinds of time to do crafts and kind of woke up and said, ‘I’ve got nowhere to go in the morning,” Baker told the Observer. “So, I decided to open a business.” For 15 years, Baker had worked as a constituency assistant, managing the office of former MP Andrew Telegdi. Although there are obvious differences between running a political office and operating a craft store with her daughter, her son-in-law, and her enthusiastic grandchildren, Baker noted that there are in fact, many similarities. “You’re still selling a product … you’re still dealing with the public. You have to have something you believe in,”

PHOTO | MARC MIQUEL HELSEN

MARC MIQUEL HELSEN

A VISIT TO GRANDMA’S Cassie and Brittany Cowan join their mother Joanne and grandmother Dianne Baker – aka Gramma B – at Elmira’s newest crafts store. said Baker, otherwise known as Gramma B: grandmother to three of her faithful assistants and the real-life face behind the store’s emblem. “Certainly, the public that we’re dealing with right now is a lot happier than the public I used to deal with because

they would be upset by the time they came to us,” said Baker with a chuckle, of her days in the constituency office. Far removed from politics, the store features a cozy fireplace warming the surroundings, complimentary cookies

scenting the air, and coffee on tap for visitors, and is reminiscent of a grandma’s homely abode. “We wanted a place that was kid-friendly as well. Because I can’t count how many times that we’ve gone out and we leave the kids at home with

dad and grandpa because there’s nothing for them to do and they’re bored,” explained Baker’s daughter, Joanne Cowan. “Our thought process was, ‘get the kids involved in creativity and doing crafts and working that part of the brain as opposed to the thumb and eye action on the (Nintendo) DS, and get them working at being creative,” she said. Offering group crops for older customers, retail supplies for hard core crafters, and a venue for youth birthday parties, Gramma B’s Craft Den strives to provide something for everyone and anyone. “There is no such thing as ‘I can’t do crafts’ and this is what we try to tell our customers. ‘Yes you can,’” said Baker. “We’re trying to show them that they can create if they want to.” In business since last month, Gramma B’s Craft Den is now open seven days a week. It’s a large facility awash in natural light. It provides ample room for individual and group clients. And, incidentally, for its owners as well. “My living room now looks like a living room,” said Joanne, noting all the supplies have made it from home to the store. “Our husbands jumped for joy when we opened this business,” said Dianne with a chuckle.

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THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

» FOOD FOR THOUGHT | OWEN ROBERTS

New food policy supports tradition in transition Suppose you were about to be placed, or thrust, into a position of being able to co-create a new food policy for Canada. What would it include? Liberal MPs Wayne Easter and Carolyn Bennett led an electronic fact-finding exercise last week on this issue, taking the pulse of Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Easter is the Liberal’s agriculture critic and Bennett is the party’s health critic, and the author of a book aimed at changing policy, “Kill or Cure? How Canadians Can Remake Their Health Care System.” In Guelph, MP Frank Valeriote took the lead, assembling at the University of Guelph a dozen area experts in disciplines such as food processing, production, nutrition, nutraceuticals, communications and animal care. Despite some electronic hiccups, it didn’t take long to reach consensus in

less pressure on the health care system, the room and across the country. In Guelph, participants said engag- the more money there is for other iming the public in a deeper understand- peratives, such as infrastructure. To a significant extent, health can be ing of the food system was vital for any major policy’s success. Ontario has a influenced by food choices and the way long and successful history of diverse food is processed. For policy purposes, agriculture and food production. But healthy food production, processing the continuum of agriculture to food – and consumption must be considered as all the steps required to get food from a group. And there must be policy to support the field to Canadians’ plates – is poorly understood. Expecting urban residents research intended to cover that continuto have even a remote understanding of um. Consumers are driven by food safefarming and its complexities, let alone ty, and many believe local food – an old policies that support them, is no longer tradition that’s new again – is the way to go. It seems ironic to think national (and a given. But what constitutes that continuum? provincial) policies are needed to deterIt’s what Prof. Vern Osborne calls “the mine the development of something as transition of tradition,” what Prof. Da- local as food grown by your neighbour. vid Waltner-Toews describes as a series But that’s where the regulatory proof intertwined systems that includes cess comes in. many features Canadians say are imRegulations and the people who enportant – the environment, air, water, force them are what help keep food as and land, and of course the economy. safe as possible, no matter where you The economy is aided by a healthier are in Canada, and keeps us from turnpopulation that spends as little time as ing food concerns into food fears on a T:9.1875” daily basis. Local food has to undergo possible in the doctor’s office or the hospital, or taking costly prescriptions. The the same scrutiny for safety and quality

as imports. Research is needed to figure out not only how to make it as good as possible, but also as safe as possible, and restore confidence in the processing system in particular. Amidst all this, farmers have to make a profit. Consumer-focused policies that support affordable, quality food to stave off chronic disease need to be grounded with policies that support farmers’ ability to grow crops or raise animals the way we want them to. This has a price, and we can either pay it at the cash register, which Canadians resist, or through new or updated policies that give farmers a break on production costs such as fuel tax, wildlife compensation and environmental management. With an anticipated greater degree of cooperation between political parties in this federal government, food policy development by any of them is timely and has the potential to be utilized at least in part. Imagine a wide-sweeping policy supported by all parties. What an unselfish way to show cooperation on a matter that affects all Canadians every day.

Kids on board. It’s a smoke-free zone. Smoking in motor vehicles with anyone under 16 is illegal and the fine is up to $250. T:9”

As of January 21, 2009, the Smoke-Free Ontario Act prohibits smoking or having lighted tobacco in a motor vehicle while a person under 16 years old is present. Second-hand smoke levels in motor vehicles can be up to 27 times greater than in a smoker’s home. It’s even a risk on short trips and when the windows are rolled down. Children who breathe second-hand smoke are more likely to suffer health problems such as sudden infant death syndrome, asthma and, later in life, cancer and cardiac disease. For more information, contact your Public Health Unit or call the INFOline toll-free at 1-866-396-1760. TTY: 1-800-387-5559. Or visit: www.ontario.ca/smokefree For help quitting, visit www.smokershelpline.ca or call 1-877-513-5333.

Paid for by the Government of Ontario

14 | SPORTS

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

SPORTS

Woolwich contingent takes to the pond Menno Flyers in Huntsville this weekend The Menno Flyers grew up in arenas around Woolwich and Wellesley, but this weekend theyâ€™re taking hockey back to its roots: on an outdoor rink, where the only requirements are a stick, skates, helmet and puck. The Flyers are competing in the Canadian National Pond Hockey championships in Huntsville for the second year in a row. Pond hockey is played four-onfour, with no goalie, and a net that is six feet wide but only 10 inches high. There are no blue

lines, no offsides, no faceoff circles and few stoppages in play. â€œItâ€™s very fast-paced and there tends to be a lot of goals because thereâ€™s no goalie,â€? said team captain Paul Lucier. â€œItâ€™s really traditional shinny rules that you would get when you throw your sticks in the middle of an old pond somewhere.â€? They wonâ€™t be playing on just any old pond this weekend; theyâ€™ll be on one of 24 natural ice rinks, covering six acres of ice at Deerhurst Resort. Over the two weekends of the tournament, 288 teams will lace up their skates and take to the ice. See POND Âť16

ON THE POND Shawn Brubacher, Jason Camm and Paul Lucier put their sticks to the ice on the outdoor rink at Cammâ€™s house. The three men are members of the Menno Flyers, taking part in the Canadian National Pond Hockey Championships this weekend.

PHOTO | JONI MILTENBURG

JONI MILTENBURG

Back-to-back wins for Kings in midweek road trip JONI MILTENBURG After a pair of losses last weekend, the Elmira Sugar Kings turned things around midweek, defeating Welland 4-3 in overtime on Tuesday and dumping Kitchener 7-4 the following night. The Kings scored six power play goals in the two wins, and leading scorer Brent Freeman added a pair of shorthanded goals in the victory over Kitchener.

On Tuesday night, Wellandâ€™s Michael Paonessa started things off with a goal five minutes in. That one-goal lead lasted most of the first period until Kings captain Patrick Shantz, recently back from injury, pounded in a power play goal with two minutes left. Elmira moved out in front in the second period and again in the third, but each time Welland tied things back up, forcing overtime. A minute and a half

opportunities, and the Kings were quick to take advantage. Elmiraâ€™s Philip Teri drew first blood with a goal seven minutes in. The Dutchmen evened things up late in the first, and the period ended 1-1. In the second period, the Kings moved out in front. Paul Thompson scored on the power play three minutes in on a feed from Shantz. Jarred Parent widened the margin midway through the period, scoring eight seconds into

into the overtime period, Welland was handed a penalty for tripping, making it four on three. Trent Brown finished things off 30 seconds later, blasting the puck past Welland keeper Vince Kusick and sending the Kings home with the win. On Wednesday, the Kings visited Kitchener, currently sitting in second place in the division standings. The Dutchmen racked up 45 minutes in penalties on 16 infractions, handing the Kings 13 power play

another power play. Mike Doran notched Kitchenerâ€™s only power play goal with six minutes remaining in the second, bringing the Dutchmen within one. Two minutes later, Freeman powered the puck up the ice for a shorthanded goal, making it 4-2. Kitchener came back with a shorthanded goal of their own a minute into the third period. Less than a minute later, Josh Ranalli answered back for the Kings on the power

play, making it 5-3. Nic MacEachern widened the Kingsâ€™ lead to three at 5:48. Alex Lubczuk scored unassisted for the Dutchmen with seven minutes left, but Freeman sealed the deal with a shorthanded, unassisted goal, leaving the final score 7-4. The Kings head to Stratford on Friday before wrapping up their busy week with a home game against Cambridge on Sunday. The puck drops at 7 p.m.

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SPORTS |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

» THE NOT-SO-GREAT OUTDOORSMAN | STEVE GALEA

From humble origins, skiing has caught on like wildfire I have gone downhill skiing a few times in my life, but never intentionally. Call me crazy, but any activity that mixes gravity, obstacles, slick footing, and breakneck speed, isn’t something I want to deliberately participate in. Yet, as an experienced outdoorsman, I do recognize the value in being able to make a quick getaway. Just the other day, in fact, if I had some skis handy, I might have gotten out of shoveling the walkway up to our front door. Whenever I see a sport like skiing, I can’t help but wonder about its evolution and origins. For instance, who was the first person to leave two boards, parallel, wax side down, and a foot apart, at the top edge of

a snowy slope? And who accidentally stepped on them that very first time? I think we can all agree that this first skier was a daring pioneer – or perhaps the village idiot. In either case, he liked it so much that he tried again and perhaps even convinced some of his friends that it was fun. From those humble origins, the sport has come a long way. Techniques have evolved considerably. The first stop, for instance, was crude and probably involved several solid trees or the bottom of a cliff … or both. After a while, I’m guessing, someone decided that there had to be a better way. So, as a result, clotheslines and low hanging limbs were invented – and these techniques, you’ll note, are still being used to this very day. No doubt, there were other obstacles to overcome too. For instance,

it’s not hard to imagine that, after a while, the first skiers got tired of lugging their skis to the top of a hill. I’m guessing that, in a fit of brilliant innovation, they trained horses to tow them up to the top. Then, they left them there and skied to the bottom, where, they bought a new team of horses to take them back up to where the old team of horses was. Things got less expensive when they finally trained their horses to come when whistled to. After a while, I assume, those early skiers also realized that they needed a place to hang out after a day on the slopes. At first, they probably built an elaborate lean-to, where ski bunnies and daredevils could intermingle and speak about snow conditions, gear, and the best types of wax, ear or behind the ear. From this, a culture and proud tradition emerged. And to this day, downhill skiing continues to be a

sport that is enjoyed everywhere but Saskatchewan. Personally, I don’t understand it. There just seems to be too much opportunity for injury and embarrassment and that’s just from putting on the ski suit. But then again, what do I know? I’ve only gone skiing a few times in my life and, the last time, the horses wouldn’t come when whistled to. A lot has changed since then. Obviously, it must have been a very positive experience for that first skier; for the sport has caught on like wildfire. What was the appeal? Was it the magic feeling of prolonged acceleration? Was it the sensation of grace, speed, and agility? The sound of skis cutting into the frozen surface? The thoughts of looking old man winter square in the eye? Maybe, but my bet is he got out of shoveling the walkway.

Jacks keep it close, but no cigar The Jacks managed to fight back from a 4-3 deficit to tie things up in The Wellesley Apple- the third, but couldn’t jacks salvaged one point drive the final nail into last weekend, dropping the coffin. “That’s the story of our a 4-2 decision to Thamesford Jan. 23 and losing in lives, we let it slip away,” a shootout to Port Dover said general manager Dave Litt after the game. the following night. On Jan. 24, Wellesley “I keep saying, on paper gave up four power play we’re as good as anygoals to a Port Dover body, but we sure aren’t squad that struggled when we play the hockCooking the Rushed Ad:Layout ey 1 12/01/09 game.” 8:26 AM Page 1 just to for handle the puck.

JONI MILTENBURG

It was another close loss in a season riddled with them; seven of the Jacks’ losses have been by a single goal, and six more have come in overtime or shootouts. The team has watched twoand three-goal leads slip through their fingers and staged gutsy comebacks only to fall short of the final push needed to finish off the game. See JACKS »16

PHOTO | JONI MILTENBURG

Weekend action sees Wellesley drop games to Thamesford, then Port Dover

THERE IT IS Kent Stoltz put up a solid effort in net for the Wellesley Applejacks Jan. 24, stopping 30 shots and allowing goals only on the power play. The Jacks outshot Port Dover 43 to 34, but lost 5-4 in a shootout.

16 | SPORTS

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

PHOTO | JONI MILTENBURG

WATCHING FOR AN OPENING Pat Doyle looks for a clear shot on a breakaway against Port Dover Jan. 24. Doyle had an assist in the 4-3 shootout loss.

SLIDE AND RELEASE Norm Green uses a special stabilizer to keep him balanced as he releases a rock at the Granite Club in Waterloo. The St. Clements resident is skipping Team Ontario 1 in the Blind and Visually Impaired Championship Bonspiel in Ottawa Feb. 1-6.

Green headed for blind curling championships JONI MILTENBURG “Nice shot, Don!” Len Cooper needled his curling opponent at the Granite Club on a recent morning. “Took out [your] two rocks and left us three.” Studying the rocks after the first end, Ralph Fritz shook his head. “We got wiped by the blind guys,” he grinned ruefully. Cooper and his curling teammates, Norm Green and Jim Stephens, are all visually impaired. The men are three-quarters of the team heading to the blind curling championships in Ottawa Feb. 1-6. The fourth – and youngest – member of the team, Carrie Speers, was at work Wednesday morning. Green, a resident of St. Clements, will be skipping the team in its second bid for a national title. Last year they lost in the semifinal round, after defeating the eventual winners, Team British Columbia, in round-robin play. The championship draws teams from across the country;

Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick are the only provinces not taking part, and Ontario has two teams in competition. Green and his crew curl against sighted people every second Sunday and have competed in the provincial championships several times, but the national championships present a unique challenge. In other matches, the team can have a sighted sweeper and a coach to act as the skip and call the line. “We were shocked because they took the sighted sweeper away and our coach could not be on the ice with us,” Green said. “I curl with sighted people all the time, but I have a hard time calling the line.” The team can have one sighted person to act as a guide. The guide describes the shot to the curler and ensures they’re lined up correctly in the hack, but they aren’t allowed to sweep, call the line, or touch the curler once they’ve started to deliver the rock. That presents an extra chal-

lenge to Stephens, who is the only fully blind member of the team. He relies on someone to guide him down the sheet as he releases the rock. Stephens curled for decades before he lost his sight, but curling blind is completely different. “I’ve had to relearn my balance. When you’re blind you have no sense of direction. I tend to walk to the left because I’m right-handed.” Stephens is a B1 classification, someone with no vision. Each team must have a B1, a B2, who has less than five per cent vision, and a B3, who has five to 10 per cent vision. Green, who is a B2, lost his vision in 1992 when he fell 18 feet onto his head at work. He can see enough to sweep, but when curling he can’t see the rock past the second hog line. Acting as his team’s skip will be a challenge, but Green is eager to challenge British Columbia for the title. “I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

Pond: Hockey stripped to the basics » From page 14

Lucier and his teammates are playing in the master’s recreational division, for men over 35. They’ll be coming up against teams like the Markham Slo-timers, the Grumpy Old Men from Burlington, Canadian Leftovers, and the Pot-Bellied Stallions of Toronto. The teams are competing to have their names engraved on the top

prize: a wooden replica of the Stanley Cup. “Some people take it pretty seriously, but it’s mostly for fun and we go there for a family weekend,” Lucier said. The Menno Flyers are part of a larger group that grew up playing minor hockey together in Woolwich and now play recreational hockey. When Lucier saw the pond hockey championships on television,

he thought it would be a fun thing to try. There’s a stiff competition just to get into the championships, but once you’ve been accepted, you get invited back every year, Lucier said. “I got very lucky last year, our team was accepted and we had such a good time with our families there, we decided to go back again this year.”

Jacks: Team next faces archrival Tavistock » From page 15

“The score indicates there are not many games we’re not in,” Litt said. “But it doesn’t much matter if you’re in it or not; if you don’t get two points, you don’t get two points. We hang around and we hang around, but we certainly don’t finish.” In the match against the defending champion Thamesford Trojans, the Jacks laboured through the first period, allowing Thamesford to score two unanswered goals. The Trojans added a third point early in the second before Wellesley got on the board, courtesy of a goal from Ben Jeffries. Aaron Knol scored again for Wellesley four minutes into the third frame, bringing the Jacks within one. But two minutes later, Thamesford’s John Garbe sealed the deal with an unassisted goal, making the final score 4-2. By contrast, the Jacks got off to a fast start against the Sailors, scoring just 38 seconds into the period. Scott Hanley mashed a rebound into the net, taking the point, with assists going to Matt Snyder and Chris Armstrong. Chris Givlin made it 2-0 for the Jacks at the nine-minute mark, blasting in a slapshot from the point on a power play. At 11:40, Wellesley was handed a penalty for too many men on the ice. Port Dover converted with seven seconds left on the play, Jordan McInally lodging the point. In the second period, Wellesley replicated the fast goal of the first frame, again scoring 38 seconds in. Read Shantz (Hanley) pounded the puck past Port Dover’s keeper to give the Jacks a 3-1 lead. Five minutes in, Evan Saunders scored a second power play goal for the Sailors to make it 3-2. At 9:05, McInally deflected a slapshot for his second goal, and the second

frame ended with the two teams locked in a 3-3 tie. In the third period, Port Dover took the lead when McInally scored his third goal of the game in the final second of another power play. Down 4-3, and with six minutes to go in regulation, Dan Berwick picked up a feed from Joe Bast, broke in on the Sailors’ net and neatly flipped the puck past the keeper to tie things at four goals apiece. As the clock counted down to 1:30, Wellesley’s Pat Doyle was handed a roughing penalty, creating another power play opportunity for the Sailors. Wellesley killed the penalty and Berwick nearly scored shorthanded in the last three seconds of regulation, but the shot went wide. Neither team found the mesh in five minutes of overtime, forcing a shootout. Port Dover scored on their first two attempts and the Jacks were shut out, capping another disappointing finish. “Absolutely no flow, no continuity to that hockey game at all,” Litt said. “It’s just the way the season’s gone … At the start of the year, if somebody had told me this was going to happen, I wouldn’t have believed them, but here we are.” Tonight (Saturday) the Jacks play host to the Tavistock Braves. The last time the two teams faced off, Wellesley handed the home squad an 8-4 drubbing, and Tavistock will doubtless be looking to return the favour. “Last time we played Tavistock we beat them pretty good, but they’re not going to lay down and die,” Litt said. “I’m hoping there’s some pride some place [and] these guys dig down and find it. They’re playing for an organization that’s been used to winning and it’s pretty tough to bite off something like this.” Game time is 7:30 p.m.

SPORTS |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

SCORECARD Kings drop squeaker to Guelph Jan. 22

Jan. 21

Woolwich 4 Centre Wellington 3 Goals: Nathan Schwarz x2, Sheldon Metzger, Jacob Dubue (Sheldon Metzger, Jacob Dubue, Nick Kieswetter x2)

Waterloo 4 Woolwich 2 Goals: Rebecca Walker, Andrea Mitchell

TWIN CENTRE ATOM LL GIRLS Jan. 21

Kitchener 4 Twin Centre 1 Goal: Tegan Schaus (Laura Ridge)

WOOLWICH ATOM B GIRLS

Jan. 24

Hespeler 2 Woolwich 1 Goal: Nathan Schwarz (Jacob Dubue)

WOOLWICH MINOR ATOM A BOYS Jan. 27

Jan. 22

Woolwich 4 Owen Sound 0 Goals: Isaac Frey, Noah Zeller, Connor Martin, Keegan Saunders (Isaac Frey, Jonah Boehm, Ryan Shantz, Mitch Waters) Shutout: Evan Martin

Woolwich 1 Waterloo 0 Goal: Taylor Rempel Shutout: Dana Colombo

Oakville 3 Woolwich 2 Goals: Mitch Waters, Jacob Uridil

Jan. 21

Woolwich 1 Mitchell 0 Goal: Cassandra Tuffnail Shutout: Dana Colombo

Jan. 24

Woolwich 5 Waterloo 1 Goals: Cassandra Tuffnail, Jaimee MacDonald x2, Caitlin Pickard, Megan Chapman (Emily Willms x2, Caitlin Pickard, Taylor Rempel, Meghan Martin, Marlee Kernick, Erika Morrison, Cassandra Tuffnail)

WOOLWICH PEEWEE HOUSE LEAGUE GIRLS Jan. 24 – round robin game

Woolwich 5 Twin Centre 0 Goals: Lize Schuurmans x2, Emily Schuurmans x2, Jessica Townsend (Lize Schuurmans, Emily Schuurmans, Jessica Townsend, Sydney DeRose, Cassidy Bauman, Blaire Snyder, Breanna Campbell)

Jan. 28

WOOLWICH PEEWEE LL #2 BOYS Jan. 22

Woolwich 1 Ayr 0 Goal: Zeke Schneider Jan. 25

Beverly 2 Woolwich 1 Goal: Zach Goetz (Ryan Devries)

WOOLWICH PEEWEE LL #3 BOYS ST. JACOBS LIONS Clifford tournament Jan. 24 – Game 1

Listowel 3 St. Jacobs 2 Goals: Colin Hartwick x2 (Nick Berlet, Tanner Horst)

Jan. 25 – round robin game

Game 2

Woolwich 4 Cambridge 3 Goals: Lize Schuurmans x2, Emily Schuurmans x2 (Brooke Davenport, Jessica Townsend, Emily Schuurmans x2, Blaire Snyder, Cassidy Bauman)

St. Jacobs 5 Kincardine 0 Goals: Colin Hartwick, Brett Kaiser, Brendan Taylor, Tanner Horst, Austin Horst (Nick Berlet, Colin Hartwick, Austin Horst) Shutout: Carson Kyte

WOOLWICH PEEWEE B GIRLS Jan. 24

Woolwich 1 Niagara 0 Goal: Michelle Bauman (Megan Thoman) Shutout: Lauren Lesage Jan. 25

Consolation final

St. Jacobs 2 Woolwich 1 Goals: Colin Hartwick, Brendan Taylor (Austin Horst, Tanner Horst, Trevor Bowman, Kyle Arsenault) Jan. 27

Woolwich 2 Buffalo 1 Goals: Lauren Lawson, Gillian Olsthoorn (Rebecca Luis, Kendra Harold)

Plattsville 6 St. Jacobs 3 Goals: Tanner Horst, Colin Hartwick, Austin Horst (Kyle Arsenault, Brendan Taylor, Carson Kyte)

LLFHL WOOLWICH BANTAM B GIRLS

WOOLWICH MINOR PEEWEE A BOYS

Jan. 26

Jan. 23 – Round robin game 2

Woolwich 2 Kitchener 1 Goals: Tori Martin, Jasmin Fritz (Jenna Martin, Lauren Lawson, Alicia Koebel)

TWIN CENTRE MIDGET BB GIRLS Jan. 23

Twin Centre 2 Cambridge 1 Goals: Kailey Esbaugh x2 (Melissa Kaleta, Lauri Reid, Hilary Neeb) Jan. 25

Twin Centre 3 Stratford 1 Goals: Leanne Howorth, Steph Baril, Emily Sanderson (Kori Martin, Stephanie Straus x2, Melanie Freeman)

GRAND RIVER LL NOVICE BOYS Jan. 24

Woolwich 5 Twin Centre 0 Goals: Bryce Sellers x2, Luke Haugerud x2, Austin Cousineau (Blake Roemer, Sullivan Keen x2, Devin Williams) Shutout: Nathan Maier

WOOLWICH NOVICE LL #3 BOYS Jan. 24

St. George 3 Woolwich 1 Goal: Nolan McLaughlin (Keaton McLaughlin) Jan. 25

Woolwich 8 Plattsville 7 Goals: Nolan McLaughlin x3, Ethan Young x2, Zac Pickard x2, Mackenzie Willms (Josh Kohlsmith x3, Mackenzie Willms x3, Ethan Young x2, Brady Brezynskie, Kyle Martin, Daniel Bullock, Kyle Deyell)

Woolwich 5 Brampton 2 Goals: Jason Gamble, Evan Martin,Grant Kernick, Harrison Clifford and Alex Uttley (Harrison Clifford, Alex Uttley, Cole Conlin, Greg Huber, Evan Martin, Cole Lenaers, Grant Kernick, Adam Jokic)

WOOLWICH MAJOR PEEWEE BOYS Jan. 23

Woolwich 3 Guelph 2 Goals: Timmy Shuh x2, Adam Cook (Wes Martin, Jasper Bender, Adam Cook, Bo Uridil, Adrian Gilles Jan. 24

Woolwich 3 Hespeler 1 Goals: Alex MacLean, Johnny Clifford, Adam Cook (Wes Martin x2, Timmy Shuh, Adrian Gilles, Brady Erb, Quade HunterRhodes)

WOOLWICH MINOR BANTAM A BOYS Jan. 18 – OMHA playdowns

Woolwich 3 Owen Sound 1 Goals: Adam Brubacher, Matt Schieck and Evan Buehler (Adam Brubacher, Jake Moggy)

WOOLWICH MAJOR BANTAM A BOYS Jan. 23

Owen Sound 3 Woolwich 1 Goal: Ryan Ament (Dalton Taylor) Jan. 25

Woolwich 3 Hespeler 0 Goals: Alex David, Ryan Ament, Jake Kernick (Shane Young) Shutout: Tyler MacGregor

WOOLWICH MINOR NOVICE LL #1 BOYS

WOOLWICH MIDGET AE BOYS

Jan. 23

Jan. 25 – OMHA playdowns

Woolwich 4 Tavistock 3 Goals: Brody Waters x3, Garrett Reitzel (Cole Campbell, Connor Bradley, Seth Morrison, Ryan Elliott)

Woolwich 3 Grimsby 1 Goals: Brandon Brubacher, RJ Good, Nick Pope (Brent Kron x2, Brandon Brubacher, Brent Goetz, Nick Pope)

WOOLWICH ATOM LL #1 BOYS

WOOLWICH MINOR MIDGET A BOYS

Jan. 24

Jan. 20 Woolwich 3 Wellington 2 Goals: Brandon Nickel, Ben Mitchell x2 (Jeremy Martin, Jake Martin) Jan. 25 Woolwich 2 Oakville 1 Goals: Ted Sebben, Ben Mitchell (Alex Albrecht)

Woolwich 4 St George 3 Goals: Jake Lewis x3, Quinn Young (Joe Hanley, Jake Lewis, Ryan Shantz, Benton Weber, Quinn Young, Tim Mayberry, Nik Langer)

WOOLWICH RUSSELL ATOM AE BOYS

Hard-fought 6-5 battle comes as Elmira embroiled in busy stretch MARC MIQUEL HELSEN It was an exciting game that kept the home fans enthralled from the moment the first puck was dropped until the thirdperiod buzzer sounded, ending a game that, for its full 60 minutes, could have gone either way. Unfortunately for the home side, the Guelph Dominators took the edge Jan. 25, defeating the Elmira Sugar Kings 6-5 in a real nail-biter. Coming off a 7-5 loss to third-place Listowel (2511-8) on Jan. 23, the Kings were eager to win one in their own barn. In a tight battle, the winning goal wasn’t scored until the 19-minute mark of the third frame. “We showed a lot of positives in the first couple periods. I thought we really tested their “D,” and our power play was working, our penalty kill was effective; and in the third period I just thought we got away from that, got away from what our strengths were and what led to success and that’s what cost us,” said coach Geoff Haddaway after the game. Elmira’s Jarred Parent, who didn’t stop hustling all night, opened the scoring for the home side, combining with Nic MacEachern and Paul Thompson at 7:54. “I thought we worked really hard, we just couldn’t hold them off in the third period but we had a few lapses. I still think we worked hard,” said Parent. A short while later, Trent Brown intercepted a puck in front of his own net, blocking a lose puck with his glove, and then stormed out of his own end and into the Guelph zone before yielding the puck to his offense. Brent Freeman, now in eighth place in the league’s scoring leaders race with 68 points (26 goals and 42 assists) in 42 games, banked it in; Kyle McNeil and Josh Ranalli picked up the assists at 9:39. The Dominators’ Mike McFarlane, from Dustin Campbell and GianPaul Delle Donne, netted one at 12:45. Elmira’s Brown, who saw as much action on his own blue line as he did up front, added to his team’s lead while on the power play at 14:32; Jutzi and Freeman picked up the assists. Guelph got one back in

BLOCKER SAVE Elmira netminder Jake Williams redirects the puck with his blocker in Junior B action at the Elmira Arena Jan. 25. He faced 39 shots in a nail-biter ultimately won 6-5 by the Guelph Dominators. the second period as Dylan Wood, from Paul Gorz and Scott Collins made it a 3-2 game at 2:43 of the middle frame. The Kings responded shortly after, however, and Freeman, from Ranalli and Jutzi, doubled Elmira’s lead at 4:47, wrapping around the Guelph net to score Elmira’s fourth. It was now 4-2 and things looked good for the Kings; the goals seemed to come easily. But if the Kings controlled the first period, and to a lesser extent the second, then the third period was all about the Dominators. The visitors netted three consecutive goals to edge over the Kings 5-4. Tyson Theaker (Dan Mohle), McFarlane (Collins, Gorz) and Ken Rolph (Dan McTaggart, Craig Dool) scored one each at 1:04, 9:03 and 10:32 respectively. The Kings, who struggled to rid their zone of the puck, were totally outplayed by the Dominators for the first of half of the third period. “The first shift of the third period we had a real poor shift and then lost a D-zone draw right away on the second shift and they scored, and I think that deflated us a little too much and it shouldn’t,” said Haddaway. Parent had a similar take on the match. “I think while we lost to Waterloo in the first game and then lost to Listowel in the second game in the third period, and then when Guelph made it 4-3

PHOTO | MARC MIQUEL HELSEN

BELLE RINGETTE WOOLWICH LIGHTNING

I think it was just psychological. We couldn’t believe in ourselves anymore,” said Parent. For his part Haddaway noted that the Kings should learn from this faltered step. “It should be upsetting, but it shouldn’t end up costing us the hockey game. We should be able to be a little bit more resilient than that.” Aware that they had, in roughly 10 minutes, squandered a healthy 4-2 lead, the Kings did what they could to salvage the game. They were rewarded for their effort at 12:10, when captain Patrick Shantz blasted a slap shot from the point and Philip Teri picked up the rebound. Tyler Kuntz picked up the second assist. It was now 5-5 in what was turning out to be a rather epic narrative. Both teams, having fought through some difficult periods, had reversed a deficit. Both squads skated hard and quickly knowing full well that the win was still up for grabs. But the Dominators stood tallest and for the Kings the illusion of a comeback quickly evaporated. At 19:06, McFarlane completed his hat-trick, converting on a Gorz pass to give his team the thin one-goal lead. Caught flat footed on the edge of Guelph’s blue line, Elmira’s defencemen had been unable to thwart the Dominators’ counterattack. The Kings pulled their goalie to add the extra attacker, but the optimistic

effort was short-lived. Teri, to the frustration of the home side, was dealt a penalty for checking from behind. With their manadvantage suddenly neutralized, the Kings threw all their remaining artillery against the Dominators. But it was too little too late: the Dominators returned to Guelph loaded with an extra pair of points, and closer to zeroing in on Elmira’s seventh place standing. Having come off a busy schedule last week – facing three games in five days – the Kings were back into the thick of things with four games in six nights this week. The Kings kicked off the action with a 4-3 win in Welland Tuesday and a 7-4 win against Kitchener on Wednesday before heading to Stratford for a Friday night match. The Kings are back in town tomorrow (Sunday) to take on their archrival Cambridge Winter Hawks. The busy schedule could be a good thing if the Kings hit their stride early on. “I look at is as nothing but a positive because if you get off to a poor start in those games, the best thing to do is get right back at it the next night. We’re coming off a disappointing effort Sunday – the good thing is we get to get right back at it tonight,” said Haddaway before Tuesday’s game. “And if you can have some success, then you try to keep it going, obviously.”

18 | ENTERTAINMENT

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

ENTERTAINMENT » IN CONCERT

ETC prescribes a touch of Insanity

Comedy and understanding unfold in story of the human conditition as told in From Here to Insanity

PHOTO | SUBMITTED

STEVE KANNON

A PEAK BEHIND THE EYEWEAR Girls With Glasses, Karyn Ellis, Evalyn Parry and Eve Goldberg, perform tonight at the Registry Theatre, the latest presentation of the Folk Night at the Registry series

Girls With Glasses … and something to say In the folk tradition, expect meaningful lyrics and strong voices to go along with the melodic tunes as the three performers take to the stage STEVE KANNON Their eyewear isn’t the only thing in common: all three members of Girls With Glasses are songwriters with something to say. Their performance at the Registry Theatre tonight (Saturday) will be steeped in the folk tradition. Which works out well, it being the third in a series of concerts dubbed Folk Night at the Registry. A one-off show involving Ontario singer-songwriters Karyn Ellis, Eve Goldberg and Evalyn Parry back in 2004 went so well, the three now tour annually. The stop in Kitchener should provide plenty of entertainment, and even more food for thought, suggested Jack Cole of The Old Chestnuts Song Circle, the man behind the series. In Girls With Glasses,

those in the intimate confines of the theatre will find tunes that are “by turns hilarious, evocative, poignant, uplifting and powerful … with stellar songwriting, beautiful harmonies, and imaginative arrangements.” The show will be opened by Darrell Grant, the singer-songwriter and guitarist behind the New Brunswick folk trio Modabo. With these performers, and the series in general, Cole is looking to provide greater exposure for folk music, the genre he loves. “I’m a rabid evangelist for folk music, and have been for years,” he explained in an interview, noting the form has had its ups and downs, having had a huge peak in the 1960s. But it’s a genre with all kinds of styles. For some, folk evokes images of Bob Dylan, The

Weaves and Peter, Paul and Mary. That’s certainly part of the tradition, but it extends to roots music, Celtic, altcountry and shades of bluegrass, itself enjoying something of resurgence thanks to the likes of Alison Krauss. There are performers such as Gordon Lightfoot, Bruce Cockburn and Joni Mitchell – Canadians all – who can still pack large halls, but there’s a host of other great songwriters out plying their trade in small venues, he said. It’s those acts that make up the bulk of the Folk Night at the Registry presentations. The next show, set for Mar. 14, will feature Ron Hynes, an award-winning Newfoundland performer with some exposure to a mainstream audience. A double feature follows on Apr. 18, with performances by Dave Gunning (Nova Scotia) and Maria

Dunn (Edmonton). “These are great performers, the kind people should get out to see,” Cole said, noting the core following typically gains recruits after newcomers attend a show. Keeping the music out there is his goal. So much so that he hosts song circles and performances in his home, both to please the fans and to help support musicians on the road, passing the hat for $10 or $15 a head to help them continue their tours. The Girls With Glasses show goes Jan. 31 at 8 p.m. at the Registry Theatre, 122 Frederick St., Kitchener. Tickets are $14 in advance ($16 at the door), available at the Centre In The Square box office by calling 5781570 or toll free 1-800-2658977 or online at www. centre-square.com. For more information about the series, visit www. folknight.ca.

Balk at giving some spare change to the guy who walks around talking to himself ? How about inviting him over to stay at your place? Maybe he can bring a couple of friends? Get past the shock, and you might even have a few laughs. Well, at least if you’re Victoria, the sweet but scattered soon-to-be-ex-wife of a psychiatrist who finds herself playing host to three patients from the nearby mental hospital when it burns down. The fun that ensues forms the basis of the Elmira Theatre Company comedy opening next week, From Here to Insanity, written by Caroline Russell-King. Two of the visitors welcomed by Victoria (Sue Parr) have multiple personalities (ETC newcomers Kimberly Young as Sarah/Gladys/Lola and Rob Gray as James/Rita) and the third only communicates through sound effects (Michael Grant as Benny). The rapid switches from one character to the next provide fertile material, and Benny’s method of relating to others is ripe with opportunities for physical comedy. Beyond that, however, there’s a touching story about human relationships, said director Ken Harkes, drawn to the play when he first read it some eight years ago and feeling the time was now right to stage it here. “From a director’s point of view, this one has got a little more meat in it. It’s more than just a comedy,” he explained. “It’s about people who are fighting to regain some type of self-worth, self-esteem.” Along with the laughs, there’s a take-away message that we should be a little less hasty about judging other people. “These people – like many of us – are searching desperately to find the one that needs us,” said Harkes, noting that need is universal. Conveying the gamut of emotions beyond just going for laughs makes the roles more challenging for the actors. For the two playing characters with multiple personalities, there’s the trick of shifting instantly from one completely different person to the next – no offstage change of costumes or quick jump to another scene, but on-the-spot transformation. “When I first read this play eight years ago, it interested me because of the challenge facing the actors to be able to instantly “flip” into other characters while on stage,” Harkes said in his director’s notes. “I was also intrigued by the fun idea of using only sound effects to communicate. As I examined the play and learned about the lives of the characters, it became very obvious to me that it is about much more than that.” See ETC »19

ENTERTAINMENT |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

ETC: Production recreates 1986

1/28/09

2:01 PM

Page 1

PHOTO | SUBMITTED

FANS STILL FLOCKING TO SEE HIM Yes, he’s best known as Keith Partridge in the 1970s sitcom The Partridge Family, but David Cassidy has musical chops that extend well beyond that. Still a film, TV and stage actor, he also performs regularly in musicals on Broadway and in Las Vegas, and now sports a catalogue of hits that will be aired at the Centre In The Square Feb. 6.

» From page 18

While From Here to Insanity is a work of fiction, it reflects some of what has really happened in the last couple of decades as previously institutionalized patients were released and those newly diagnosed with mental illnesses were left to integrate with the public instead of ending up in hospitals. The play is in fact something of a period piece, set in 1986. The set reflects the era, as does the music. Right from the opening of the doors, the music looks to recreate 1986 and, echoing the theme of the play, starts out cold and becomes warmer as the relationships develop, Harkes explained. The Elmira Theatre Company production of From Here to Insanity runs Feb. 5-14, including ETC’s firstever Saturday matinees. Performances are set for Thursday (Feb. 5), Fridays (Feb. 6 and 12) and Saturdays (Feb. 7 and 14) at 8 p.m. There are two Saturday matinees at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $18, available through the Centre In The Square box office by calling 519-578-1570 or online at www.centre-square.com. All performances are at 76 Howard Ave. in Elmira.

PHOTO | SUBMITTED

C’mon, get happy at CITS

1-2 page-wool2:Layout 1

REACHING AN UNDERSTANDING Susan Parr and Rob Gray rehearse a scene from the Elmira Theatre Company production of From Here to Insanity, which opens Feb. 5 and runs until Feb. 14.

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20 | CLASSIFIEDS | SERVICES | REAL ESTATE | FAMILY ALBUM

CLASSIFIED DEPT. help wanted

519.669.5790 | 1.888.966.5942 FAX | 519.669.5753 EMAIL | sales@ObserverXtra.com

help wanted

automotive

Township of Woolwich

You will perform a wide variety of operational and maintenance activities on the Township’s various water distribution and waste water collection systems. You will participate in Winter Control related activities which will include plowing and sanding. You must be willing to work extended hours as well as respond to before and after hours emergency call-outs. You hold a Class 1 Water Distribution and Waste Water Collection Operator Licenses and ideally a valid DZ licence. For a detailed job description please refer to the Township of Woolwich Web Site. Applications must be received by 3:00 p.m., Friday, February 6, 2009.

RENTALS

P.O. BOX 158, 24 CHURCH ST. W. ELMIRA, ONTARIO N3B 2Z6 Attn: Human Resources Div.

As a member of the WWLHIN Board of Directors, you will be responsible for directing the affairs of the LHIN in accordance with applicable legislation, constituting documents, approved strategic and business plans and government policies established and communicated by the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. You are expected to bring a background in health care, public administration, management, accounting, finance, law, human resources and labour relations, communications and information management. Directors are appointed by order-in-council for a term of up to three years, and are subject to a one-term renewal. Downloadable application forms are available at www.pas.gov.on.ca. Signed application forms, quoting file number PAS-0902, must be addressed to: Public Appointments Secretariat, Room 2440, Whitney Block, 99 Wellesley St. W., Toronto, ON M7A 1A1. Application forms must be received by February 18, 2009. For information, you may contact Kate Borthwick, Executive Assistant, at 519-822-6208, ext. 212. Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. Pour obtenir de l’information en français sur ce poste, veuillez communiquer avec Kate Borthwick au numéro indiqué ci-dessus.

The Township of Woolwich requires an

WATER & WASTEWATER OPERATOR 2

This is a 40 hour per week unionized position and the current hourly rate is $23.09 per hour plus benefit package. For consideration, please mail, fax or email your resume in confidence to:

Township of Woolwich, P.O. Box 158, 24 Church Street West Elmira, ON N3B 2Z6 Attn: Human Resource Division Fax: 519-669-1820 Email: alevean@woolwich.ca www.woolwich.ca

Live and live well in Waterloo Wellington. help wanted

help wanted

We thank those who apply, but advise that only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED

FAST and FREE Delivery Service

INC.

DZ&AZ TRUCK DRIVER REQUIRED s Delivering products to manufacturers in South Western ON with curtain side units, includes some handling of products. Craftsmen is a forest products distribution yard located close to Drayton.

Mission Statement: “Glorify God while providing quality goods and services to the forest products industry.” Please send resume to the attention of Rob via; Fax; Mail; Email or in person

FAX: 519-669-1820 EMAIL: alevean@woolwich.ca WEBSITE: www.woolwich.ca

THE TOWNSHIP OF WOOLWICH, with a population of 20,500 people and neighboring the Cities of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge in the Region of Waterloo, has the following position available in the Engineering and Planning Services Department.

Within our specific geographic area, the WWLHIN directly funds hospitals, the community care access centre, community support services, long-term care homes, mental health and addictions services, and community health centres. WWLHIN is accountable to the citizens of our area as well as to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

Board of Directors

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Part-time & Full-time sales persons required for busy retail store selling office supplies and stationery. Days, some nights, some weekends. Computer literacy and smile are a must. Please drop resume at 10 Church St. W., Elmira. Attention Keith.

VOLUNTEERS WANTED

»»Volunteers Needed for

the Revenue Canada Income Tax Program. WoolCRAFTSMEN HARDWOODS INC. wich Community Services 7688 Wellington Rd. 8 will be hosting the RevAlma, ON N0B 1A0 enue Canada Volunteer Fax: 519-638-3105 Program again this year. Tel: 519-638-3380 If you have a few hours robw@craftsmenhardwoods.com to spare, through March (Only those selected for an interview will be contacted) and April, please consider helping with this program. The returns are straight CHILD CARE HELP WANTED forward. Revenue Canada »»Help Wanted: Elmira »»Child Care available in training will be Wednesday, based furniture company my smoke free St. Cle- February 11, 2009 from now accepting resumes ments home. Nutritious 9:00 - 12:00 at the WCS for general labourers. Fax meals & snacks, games, office, 73 Arthur St. Call resume to 519-669-8820 crafts, safe, fun environ- 519-669-5139 for informament. CPR, First Aid & tion and to register. or call 519-669-3143. Lifeguard trained. ECE experienced. Call Angela 519-699-4535.

FOR SALE

»»43’ Park Model Trailer for sale $39,900. 1989 Northlander Supreme 12’X43’ with 12’x30’ factory addition, sun porch, covered rear deck, storage shed, fridge, stove, air conditioner. Clean condition with numerous updates. Located on a shaded lot with paved driveway in GreenAcre Park, Waterloo. Must be vacated 2 months in the winter. Park rental may be continued, or trailer may be moved to your location. 519-575-6314. »»Small Round Woodstove, about 30”h. Needs chimney or can be used for room decor. $100. Call 519-746-5605.

»»2008 Dodge Gr. Cara-

van SE - 3.3L V6, auto trans, fully loaded including Stow N Go seating, rear air/heat. Pwr driver seat, finished in black. Only 35,175 kms. $18,900. Voisin Chrysler, 519-669-2831. »»2002 Dodge Grand Caravan. Approx. 250,000 km. Cal 519-669-1760 after 6 p.m. Ask for Peter. »»2005 Dodge Gr. Caravan SXT - 3.8L V6 auto trans, fully equipped including Stow N Go seating, O/H console, rear air/heat, pwr door group, pwr driver seat, pwr. adj. pedals, AM/FM 6 disc CD radio, one owner. Finished in linen gold. Only 52, 652 kms. $14,900. Voisin Chrysler 519-669-2831.

Waterloo Wellington LHIN

The Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network (WWLHIN), a not-for-profit organization funded by the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, is one of 14 local health integration networks established in Ontario, each with specific geographic boundaries. The WWLHIN includes the Region of Waterloo, the County of Wellington and the southern portion of Grey County.

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

HELP WANTED

FARM SERVICES

automotive

»»8

»»FARM

»»2 0 0 4

Foot Arctic Snow plow blade for truck, in great shape, 3 spring unit, needs new motor and hosing. Best offer. 519-664-3703. »»Hip Barn Roof (classic) 109ftx32ft, hand made truss, double wide, original 2x4, 6, 8, etc. Tobacco scaffold complete, Conklin lumber, bottom to top and 1946 plus WW2 galvanized steel needs only paint. 1pc. move possible, to move to new foundation or disassemble. Must see to appreciate strength. Also 40x60ft barn, 1934, barn Board, beams, 1963 galvanized roof. Phone 519-984-2604 Kingsville.

FURNITURE REFINISHING

»»Cooper’s Furniture Re-

finishing. Specializing in handstripping, repairing, church interiors and pews, dining room sets, rockers, chairs, doors, antiques and upholstery. Highest quality workmanship. Pick up/delivery. Free estimates. 519-579-1475.

MACHINERY REPAIRS ETC. Woodside Welding, 519-698-2683.

PETS

»»Winter Clearance Sale.

25% - 50% OFF pet apparel, beds & more! Region’s best selection available at Creature Comfort Pet Emporium, 1553 King ST. N., St. Jacobs. 519-664-3366, www.creaturecomfort.ca

WANTED

»»W a n t e d

- Pine & Spruce logs. Any size over 3” x 3 ft. Call Steve at 519-575-3658.

AUTOMOTIVE

»»2 0 0 6

Dodge Ram 1500 SLT Quad Cab 4X4 - 5.7L MDS auto trans, fully equipped with all pwr. options, trailer tow group, chrome step bars, bed liner, tow hooks, one owner. Finished in lt. khaki. Only 79,002 kms. $18,900. Voisin Chrysler 519-669-2831.

»»2 Yr Old luxury 3 bedroom, 21/2 bath home with garage. Paved drive, deck, professional landscaping. Hardwood floors & ceramic, large master bedroom w/on-suite. Finished basement. Available Feb. 15th. $1,200/mth + utilities. Call 519-669-0003, ask for Denise. »»St. Jacobs - Upscale apt. in village core. One + bedroom, controlled entrance, includes 5 appliances, ensuite laundry, A/C. 1,064 SF. Rent $1,200 per month (utilities extra). Available immediately. Steps away from excellent shopping, restaurants, theatre, nature trails. 519-664-2293 ext. 322. »»Two Bedroom Semi detached bungalow in Wellesley. 950 sq. ft.,open concept kitchen and living room. Gas fireplace in living room french doors to deck. Fridge, stove, washer, dryer plus all utilities included. Including snow removal and lawn mowing. $900 monthly. Available March 1 or April 1. Ideal for elderly, no steps. Call Jim at 519-588-1045 days or 519-656-3322, evenings.

Dodge Ram 1500 SLT Quad Cab 4X4 - 5.7L hemi, auto, pwr windows, pwr door locks, pwr driver seat, tilt/cruise, AM/FM CD radio. Finished in Lt. blue. ONly 62,000 kms. Sale Priced $16,900. Voisin Chrysler 519-669-2831. »»2007 Jeep Commander Limited 4X4 - 5.7L MDS, auto trans, fully loaded including leather seats, 3 sunroofs, trailer hitch, 7 passenger seating, finished in black. Only 32,000 kms. Sale Priced $28,900. Voisin Chrysler 519-669-2831. »»2008 Dodge Avenger SXT 4dr. 2.7L V6 Auto Trans. AM/FM CD Radio, TRADES & pw. pdl. Tilt/cruise, alum. SERVICES road wheels, finished in Lt. Sandstone. Only »»House Cleaner Avail31,397 kms. Sale Priced able. Honest and reliable. $ 16,900. Voisin Chrysler, Call 519-342-6751 (Elmira number). 519-669-2831.

Buying or Selling? You came to the right spot.

AD RATES | Residential 20-Word Ad $7.50 Extra Words 20¢/word | Commercial 20-Word Ad $12.00 Extra Words 30¢/word | Bold Headline Add $1.00 /line | Display Ads are quoted individually. PLACING A CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENT | Classified ads can be obtained in person, by phone | fax from Monday to Thursday 8:30am-5pm or Friday 8:30am-4pm. Email queries to classifieds@woolwichobserver.com 24/7 - email will be replied by next business day. All classified ads are prepaid by Visa | MasterCard | Debit | Cash | Cheque unless on account. Deadline is Thursdays by 10am.

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CLASSIFIEDS | SERVICES | REAL ESTATE | FAMILY ALBUM |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

Community Information Page THE TOWNSHIP OF WOOLWICH "Proudly remembering our past; confidently embracing our future."

P.O. BOX 158, 24 CHURCH ST. W. ELMIRA, ONTARIO N3B 2Z6 WEBSITE: www.woolwich.ca

PUBLIC NOTICE

Consumption Rates (per m3): Water Wastewater

Current

Proposed

1.14 1.30

1.24 1.48

The proposed increase from 2008 to 2009 for a typical water customer using 240 cubic metres annually is $24.00 or 9.4%for Water and $43.20 or 13.6% for Wastewater. Subsequently there will be no increase to the renewal and replacement charges forecasted over this period. Public Input Before passing the amending by-laws, Council will hold an information session and public meeting on February 17, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at the Township Hall, at which time any person who attends may make representation with respect to this matter. Any person wishing to make representations at the meeting is encouraged to register as a delegation with the Deputy Clerk by 1:00 p.m., Thursday, February 12, 2009 (519-6691647 ext. 6005). Failure to register does not preclude representations to the Council. Written comments will also be received by the undersigned until 1:00 p.m., Thursday, February 12, 2009 by fax, mail, email or hand delivery.

AFTER HOURS EMERGENCY: 519-575-4504

MOTORIZED SNOW VEHICLES

PROPOSED CHANGES TO WATER AND WASTEWATER RATES TAKE NOTICE that the Municipal Council of the Corporation of the Township of Woolwich intends to pass an amendment to by-law 60-2005 and by-law 61-2005 to increase the water and wastewater rates associated with the distribution and collection of water and wastewater effective April 1, 2009. The current and proposed rates are as follows:

TEL: 519-669-1647 or 519-664-2613 FAX: 519-669-1820

BY-LAW #8-94

The Township of Woolwich has in place a by-law to regulate, govern or prohibit the operation of motorized snow vehicles in the Township. The by-law states that: No person shall operate a motorized snow vehicle within any settlement area within the Township of Woolwich during the following hours: a)

between the hours of 11 o’clock p.m. of any Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday and the hour of 7 o’clock a.m. of the following day (unless the following day is a holiday);

between the hour of 1 o’clock a.m. and the hour of 7 o’clock a.m. of any Saturday, Sunday or holiday.

No person shall operate a motorized snow vehicle in or upon public parks, playgrounds, walkways or cemeteries. No person shall operate a motorized snow vehicle along a sidewalk situated on any road. Anyone found violating the by-law will be fined. To report a motorized snow vehicle please call the Municipal Law Enforcement Division action line at 519-669-1647 extension 6106 and leave a message. Please see the Township website for more information on the by-law including set fines at www.woolwich.ca.

Dated at Elmira, Ontario this 28th day of January 2009. Richard Petherick Director of Finance & Treasurer email: rpetherick@woolwich.ca

USE OF TOWNSHIP PROPERTY #76-2006 The Township of Woolwich has in place a by-law to regulate the use of Township property. The by-law states that: TOWNSHIP PROPERTY – Includes but is not limited to vacant or other lands owned by the Township, a highway, roadway, sidewalk, pedestrian way, boulevard, watercourse, building, or structure. 1. No person shall throw, drop, place, or otherwise deposit refuse or debris, or any other similar items on any Township property unless authorized by the Township. 2. No person shall pick over, interfere with, disturb, remove or scatter any material placed in garbage or other refuse receptacle placed by the Township intended for the collection of garbage, paper, cans, rubbish, or similar items of refuse. 3. No person shall block, interfere with or otherwise impede the passage of any pedestrian on any Township sidewalk or other Township pedestrian-way, or portion thereof, unless authorized by the Township. 4. No person shall ride or otherwise operate any motorized vehicle on any sidewalk or pedestrian way within the Township unless for the purpose of maintaining such sidewalk or pedestrian way and as authorized by the Township or other Provincial legislation as may be applicable to such motorized vehicle. Anyone found violating the by-law will be fined. To report an offence under the Township Use by-law, please call the Municipal Law Enforcement Division action line at 519-669-1647 extension 6106 and leave a message. Please see the Township website for more information on the by-law including set fines at www.woolwich.ca.

NOTICE TO RESIDENTS

TAKE NOTICE that the Council of the Township of Woolwich intends to adopt the following 2009 budgets as required by section 290 of the Municipal Act, 2001: Tax-supported operating budget; Water operating budget; Wastewater operating budget; and Capital budget; at its regular meeting on February 24, 2009 commencing at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, Municipal Office, 24 Church Street West, Elmira. Richard Petherick, CMA Director of Finance & Treasurer

OVERNIGHT PARKING BAN Effective December 1st to April 1st, parking is prohibited on all Township roads and streets from 2:30 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. to facilitate winter road maintenance operations. Vehicles found parked overnight on Township roads during the parking ban or on Regional roads at any time will be ticketed. For further information, please call 519-669-1647 Extension 6009 or 6005.

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR WOOLWICH FIRE DEPARTMENT

KEEPING SAFE FROM THE SILENT “KILLER” s You have a responsibility to know about the dangers of carbon monoxide. Your knowledge and actions may save lives. s CO alarms are a good second line of defence, but do not eliminate the need for regular inspection, maintenance and safe use of fuel-burning equipment. s Take the time to learn about the use of CO alarms in your home to ensure you are using this equipment properly and effectively.

22 | CLASSIFIEDS | SERVICES | REAL ESTATE | FAMILY ALBUM

WORD-UP

SOLUTION FOUND ON PAGE 27

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CREATED EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE OBSERVER

ÂŠ2008

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

ACROSS 1. Door fastener 5. RariďŹ ed fluid 10. ___ carotene 14. A chorus line 15. Figure of speech 16. Biology lab supply 17. ___ John 18. Affecting a lobe 19. Automatic 20. Vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton 23. Beat 24. Court wear 28. Debonair 32. Bonehead 33. Apply gently 36. Beauty pageant wear 38. â€œRemember the ___!â€? 39. And others, for short 41. Toroidal shapes 43. Barely managed, with â€œoutâ€? 44. ___ Major 46. Nothing 48. â€œ___ alive!â€? 49. Conflict 50. Big name in stationery 52. In sum 55. 100% 59. Herbs of the

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genus Doronicum having alternate often clasping stem leaves 63. Endure 66. A chorus 67. Exit for solid waste in the digestive system 68. Birds in barns 69. Yogiâ€™s language 70. Caper 71. Title of respect for a man in Turkey 72. â€œThe sweetest gift of heavenâ€?: Virgil 73. â€œHogwash!â€?

DOWN 1. Verb with thou 2. Bethâ€™s preceder 3. One step 4. Dirty movies 5. â€œ___ be a cold day in hell ...â€? 6. Gatorâ€™s cousin 7. Bindle bearer 8. Milky gems 9. Any â€œSeinfeld,â€? now 10. Marine crustaceans 11. I, to Claudius 12. Sylvester, to Tweety 13. â€œ___ we having fun yet?â€?

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21. Adjoin 22. ___ Verde National Park 25. Uniform shade 26. Ant, in dialect 27. Representations of the cross on which Jesus died 29. Balloon ďŹ ller 30. Conceited 31. â€œItâ€™s a Wonderful Lifeâ€? role 33. Bing Crosbyâ€™s record label 34. Ever 35. Far from fresh 37. Eastern pooh-bah 40. Lacking zest 42. Be in session 45. Loafer, e.g. 47. Red ink amount 51. Unlawfully delivered ball in cricket 53. Scottish word for a lake 54. A British doctorate 56. Hawaiian island 57. Accustom 58. OfďŹ ce stations 60. Bang-up 61. Carnival attraction 62. Big bore 63. Corn holder 64. â€œI ___ you oneâ€? 65. Carry on

Specializing in Paint & Wallcoverings

Over 15 Years Experience

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On-Site Balancing Fans, Rotors, Armatures, Pump Impellers, Drive Shafts & Many Styles of Rotary Equipment Available

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PAINTING

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Complete Collision Service

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AUTO CLINIC

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RUDOWâ€™S CARSTAR COLLISION CENTRE 24 Hour Accident Assistance

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CLASSIFIEDS | SERVICES | REAL ESTATE | FAMILY ALBUM |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

Âť STRANGE BUT TRUE | BILL & RICH SONES

Odd number on the field shared by many sports Q.Â For an odd sports fact, do the worldâ€™s teams tend to field an odd or even number of players?Â But please donâ€™t ask why. A.Â Generally the best-known team sports field an odd number of players such as 11 for cricket, 11 for field hockey, 13 for rugby league and 15 for rugby union, say Rob Eastaway and John Haigh in How to Take a Penalty:Â The Hidden Mathematics of Sport. Odd too are the three major American sports of basketball with 5, baseball 9, football 11.Â Many of the worldâ€™s smaller sports also fit, as 15 for hurling and Gaelic football (down from 21 in the early days), 11 for bandy and speedball, 7 for netball, water polo, kabaddi and handball.Â Of course, exceptions do occur: There have to be an even number of oars in a boat or it would tend to go around in circles (though the pres-

ence of a cox ensures the number becomes odd again); polo uses 4 on a team, volleyball and ice hockey 6. The first team sport to choose the popular 11 seems to have been cricket, in 1835.Â Many of the earliest association football clubs were cricket off-shoots, and so 11 on a team.Â Soon afterward the number crossed the Atlantic, with Yale introducing 11-ona-side football.Â Thus American footballâ€™s 11 probably had its roots in cricket.Â â€œHow many Americans would guess that?â€? Q.Â Are doctors at the stage yet where they can measure you with a medical instrument to tell how happy you are? A.Â Electromyography can detect electrical signals of certain facial muscles, such as those that furrow the frowning brows or that pull the mouth into a smile, says Harvardâ€™s Daniel Gilbert in Stumbling on Happiness. Physiography allows quantification of electrodermal, respiratory and cardiac activity that change with strong

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emotions.Â Electroencephalography, positron emission tomography (PET scans), and MRI measure electrical activity and blood flow in different brain regions such as the left or right prefrontal cortex signaling positive or negative emotions.Â â€œEven a clock can be a useful device because startled people tend to blink more slowly when feeling happy compared to when fearful or anxious.â€? So â€œmeasure youâ€? is right.Â Alas, all these measurings donâ€™t mean a thing individually since there is one and only one observer stationed at the critical point of view:Â YOU have to report how youâ€™re feeling right now.Â At this stage of psychological science, the â€œview from the insideâ€? is the only true view there is. Q.Â Would you rather have 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 5 x 6 x 7 x 8 x 9 dollars, or 9 x 8 x 7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 dollars? A.Â The question may seem ridiculous since both products are obviously the same.Â Yet when psychologists showed the first series to test subjects, they guessed an average of $500; for the reverse, $4,200.Â Both woefully

WHERE TIRES

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SPECIALTY, NOT A SIDE LINE.

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ELMIRAâ€™S HOCKEY HEADQUARTERS

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Auto Tech Inc. Providing the latest technology to repair your vehicle with accuracy and confidence.

Accredited Test & Repair Facility

519-669-4400 21 HOWARD AVE., ELMIRA (Behind the old Trylon Building)

SIGNAGE | VINYL & DIGITAL

interior/exterior painting wallpapering & Plaster|Drywall repairs

519-669-2251 36 Hampton St., Elmira

Mon-Wed. 9-6, Thurs, Fri. 9-8, Sat. 9-5, Sun. Closed

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Roofing

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free estimates

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Signs & Banners

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Vehicle Lettering Logos & Graphics Large format printing Decals & Safety Stickers

BILL SCHENKEL

519-664-1809 1600 King St. N., Unit #18

ST.JACOBS

FAST, FRIENDLY SERVICE AT COMPETITIVE PRICES!

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PLUMBING & HEATING SPECIALISTS!

Plumbing and Maintenance Inc.

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UĂŠ-ÂŤiVÂˆ>Â?ÂˆĂ˘ÂˆÂ˜}ĂŠÂˆÂ˜ĂŠ-Â…ÂˆÂ˜}Â?iĂŠ,ÂœÂœvĂƒĂŠU U,i,ÂœÂœvÂˆÂ˜}U UĂŠ-Â˜ÂœĂœĂŠ,iÂ“ÂœĂ›>Â?ĂŠvÂœĂ€ĂŠ,ÂœÂœvĂƒĂŠU 7875 4th Line Peel Twp. Wallenstein RR2 N0B 2S0

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underestimate the real answer of $362,880, say Tom Stafford and Matt Webb in Mind Hacks:Â Tips & Tools for Using Your Brain.Â Why the difference?Â Psychologists say we tend to â€œanchorâ€? on the first number of a series.Â So when the first number is a small 1, the guesses are smaller; the initial 9 prompts larger estimates.Â The â€œanchoring gambitâ€? also explains why donation solicitors will suggest you give $50, $20, $10, or $5, rather than $5, $10, $20, or $50.Â And it probably underlies the common practice of pricing things at $9.99, for example; although this price is only 1 cent below $10, it feels closer to $9 because thatâ€™s the anchor triggered by the price tag.Â Irrelevant anchoring is just one of numbersâ€™ many slipperinesses and â€œhelps explain why people so often try to con us with them.â€?

TOWING AND RECOVERY

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24 | CLASSIFIEDS | SERVICES | REAL ESTATE | FAMILY ALBUM

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

Puzzle answers, games, opinion polls and much more at:

www.kidscoop.com

Finally, Thomas suggested that the frozen dinners be tied to the television craze just starting in the 1950s. Packages were designed to look like a television set and the TV Dinner was born!

First, Thomas separated aluminum trays into compartments for different foods. He then filled the trays with turkey, dressing and peas.

Saving leftover food for another day makes sense. But, what do you do if you have 500,000 pounds of leftover turkey? (That’s 10 refrigerated boxcars of turkeys!)

The second year, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce were added and an astounding 10,000,000 frozen dinners were sold!

He froze the entire dinner and sold each one for 98 cents. The first 5,000 dinners Swanson Foods produced sold instantly.

That was the problem facing Gilbert and Clark Swanson back in 1952. A salesman for their company, Gerry Thomas, found a solution that would change the food industry.

The ice cream cone is the most environmentally friendly form of packaging. A Syrian from Damascus, Ernest E. Hamwi is credited with its invention. During the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, his waffle booth was next to an ice cream vendor who ran short of dishes. Hamwi rolled a waffle to contain ice cream, and the cone was born.

An adjective is a word that describes something and helps a reader imagine how something looks, feels, smells, tastes or sounds. Look through the newspaper for one or more describing words for each snow shovel.

When this frozen food pioneer introduced his “Frosted Food” in 1930, he changed the food industry forever. Use the code to discover his name.

How many scoops of each ice cream flavor were ordered at Frosty Freida’s Scoop Shack? Find a picture in the newspaper that shows a person’s entire body. Point to and name the parts of the body. Write the names on the page and draw a line from each word to the body part it names.

Total scoops of vanilla: Total scoops of chocolate: Totals scoops of strawberry:

7 Work your way through this puzzle to find a connected path of treats that add up to a total of 33. Move one space at a time starting on the left. You can move up or down, side to side or diagonally. (There’s more than one path.)

ALUMINUM TRAYS SWANSON VANILLA TURKEY CRAZE WAFFLE SOLUTION PIONEER CONE FROZE CREAM BORN PEAS GUEST

Find the words in the puzzle, then in this week’s Kid Scoop stories and activities. F R E E N O I P E R S A E P L O Z E Z M O W Z V N F F O O U L G A O A S F T R N U U R N Y N U A F I T E C A S R I D W M I S R O K O R L D U O T U E N B N O L L N E Y M A E R C B A

You are the Lunch Master. You create the best-tasting and healthiest lunches for kids. Write about your creations.

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CLASSIFIEDS | SERVICES | REAL ESTATE | FAMILY ALBUM |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

HOME HUNTERS R.W. THUR REAL ESTATE LTD. 45 ARTHUR ST. S., ELMIRA

BROKERAGE

Solid Gold Realty (II) Ltd., Brokerage

519-669-2772

Solid Gold Realty (II) Ltd., Brokerage Independently Owned and Operated

Independently Owned and Operated

4B Arthur St. S. Elmira t www.remaxsolidgold.biz OFFICE: 519-669-5426

WEBSITE: www.remaxsolidgold.biz

DIRECT: 519-572-2669 EMAIL: bert@remaxsolidgold.biz

EMAIL: paul@remaxsolidgold.biz

$125,500

OPEN HOUSE

BILL NORRIS Sales Rep. Cell: 519-588-1348

TRACEY WILLIAMS Sales Rep. Cell: 519-505-0627

3 Harness Lane, Elmira

Quality At Itâ€™s Best

3 bdrms, huge master w/ ensuite and w/i closet. Open concept mn flr. w/ walkout to cedar deck and lovely landscaping. Mn flr. 2-pce and laundry. Finished bsmt. NEW MLS. $217, 900.

BONNIE BRUBACHER Broker of Record

SHANNA ROZEMA Broker.

DARREN ROMKEY Sales Rep.

LAURIE LANGDON Sales Rep.

sidesplit offers a huge rec. room w/fireplace & walkout to large deck. Most windows replaced. Updated furnace & central air. Two bathrooms. Deep lot. NEW MLS. $289,900.

519-669-3192

DALE KELLER Sales Rep.

A must see home. Maple cabinets, hardwood and stairs, huge foyer feat. ceramic floors & cathedral ceiling, open concept, walkout from kitchen to back deck. Beautifully landscaped prop. asphalt drive to insul 720 sq ft shed with hydro & plumb. Finished basement. Walking distance to golf course & curling club, oversized dbl garage, 45 yr shingle. Less then $200/mth, for heat & hydro in this 2386 sq ft home. The extras are too many to list. MLS.

CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN -Unique

Tell your Realtor that the Observer sent you! 90 Earl Martin Dr., Unit 1, Elmira N3B 3L4

First Time Buyers

maintained 5 plex, always fully occupied! Laundry in each unit. One 3 bdrm. unit. Roof (â€˜05). Lots of parking. Shows a good return on your investment! MLS. $509,000.

new subdivision. Ceramic flrs, maple cabinets, convenient side entrance to bsmt. 12â€™ wide garage. Large master w/walk-in closet and ensuite. NEW MLS $239,900.

BY THE NUMBERS

flr, great room with cathedral ceiling, ceramic in entry, kitchen & bths. APPLIANCE PKG INCLUDED (3). NEW MLS $274,900.

EASY

flooring. Gas fireplace in rec. rm, updated furnace. Bsmt potential! Large rear yard, shed w/hydro. MLS. $239, 900.

Homes starting at $312,000. Beautifully appointed homes offering many designs and styles, superior kitchens, ensuite baths, fireplace and HRV are some of their standard features. Located near the new Rec Centre, schools and downtown. Visit our open house or make an appointment.

Coach House Realty Inc. Brokerage

LOCATION, LOCATION

BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY HOME

$539,000 | Interconnected greenhouse, pond, workshop/workroom; maple flooring and staircase; 9+ acres of land; numerous features; Must be seen to be appreciated; MLS.

Further Information: WEBSITE: www.royallepage.ca EMAIL: Elmira@royallepage.ca

159 William St., Palmerston (Across from Home Hardware)

DRAYTON

*SALES REPRESENTATIVES: Edith McArthur * 519.638.2509 Kathy Robinson * 519.343.4816

Attractive, spacious bungalow in Drayton - easy commute to Guelph or KW. Move right in! Fireplace, vaulted ceiling, 3 baths, 3+1 bedrms, spacious kitchen, finished basement, decks for summer enjoyment and more! Come have a look! Call Edith or Kathy 519.343.2124 MLS. 0847252 $369,000.

OFFICE PHONE: 519.343.2124

$289,900 | Beautiful piece of property;

spacious 5 level side split. Formal living/ dining, eat-in kitchen, 3+ bedroom, 2 baths with r.i. on recroom level. Loads of potential. MLS

with quality throughout! 9â€™ ceilings. Maple cabinetry. Hardwood flrs. 3 gas f/pâ€™s. Fin. rec. room, bdrm. & office in lower level. Huge garage. MLS $424, 900.

MEDIUM

updates, oak staircase, hardwood, fireplace, spacious kitchen/dinette; 3 Baths, 3 Bedrooms, basement electrical r.i. and drywalled. 6 appliances. MLS.

walkout bsmt! 3 baths (ensuite). Large kitchen. Maple cabinets, hardwood. Main flr. laundry. Upper level fam. room. Lots of upgrades. MLS. $355,000.

MOVE IN! New home w/ DRAYTON Beauty! - Custom built

HARD

ALMOST NEW

$324,900 | NEW PRICE | Beautiful

2 BEDROOMS

$93,000 | Nicely finished with additional storage, 4 piece bath, 4 appliances, 2 outside sheds and patio. Walking distance to the New Wal Mart. MLS.

3 B E D R O O M B R I C K NEW HOME Spacious front entry BUNGALOW - w/ updated w/dble closet, open concept main

35 and 42 ROBERTA STREET, ELMIRA

$187,000

INVESTMENT PROPERTY well LIKE NEW Spacious semi in a

THIS WEEK'S FEATURE PROPERTIES

PARADIGM 2 STOREY AND MODEL BUNGALOW HOME

$695,000

This home is for you located in a quaint village setting, large side yard, large country kitchen, hardwood in family room, new carpet and laminate floors in 2008, new water softener in 2005, appliances included in as is condition. cistern under side porch, large 13â€™6x 21â€™ single garage, small shed included. carpeted room on main floor has been used as the 3rd bedroom by past owners.

MONIQUE BRUBACHER Sales Rep.

OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY & SUNDAY 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

DIRECT................519-503-9533 HOME .................519-669-3074 OFFICE ................519-888-7110

SUN. FEB 1st, 2-4 PM

GREAT FOR FIRST TIME BUYERS

Your referrals are appreciated!

ELMIRA REAL ESTATE Independently Owned & Operated, Brokerage SERVICES

ADDRESS: 180 Weber St. S., Waterloo

REMEMBER: you must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column or 3x3 box. Find the answers to this weekâ€™s puzzles on page 27.

ALLI NORRIS Sales Rep. Cell: 519-577-6248

through 9 only once. Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started.

GREAT STARTER! Great home in small community offers main floor family room, three bedrooms, formal dining and living rooms, renovated bathroom, some new windows, hi/eff gas furnace. MLS.

JULIE HECKENDORN Broker MVA Residential Res: 519-669-1068 Res: 519-669-8629

HOW TO PLAY: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1

$239,000

COUNTRY BUNGALOW! Good home on large lot with mature trees offers three bedrooms, country kitchen with custom cabinets, family room, recroom, detached garage/ workshop and paved double drive. MLS.

BRAD MARTIN Broker of Record

ÂŠ2008 Cathedral Communications Inc.

BERT MARTIN, BROKER

26 | CLASSIFIEDS | SERVICES | REAL ESTATE | FAMILY ALBUM

birth notice

Telephone....................519.669.5790 Toll Free .......................1.888.966.5942

BIRTHDAY

in memoriam

family album

Our life goes on without you But nothing is the same, We do not hide our heartaches When someone speaks your name.

Our hearts will always love you. Our tears will always fall. Cause living our days without you, Is the hardest part of all.

for as little as

In Loving Memory of Walter Kieffer February 11, 2008

Mike & Laura Norris (nee Campbell) are thrilled to announce the birth of their son, Tyler Edward born on November 6th, 2008 weighing 7lb. 14 oz.

Thank You

HAPPY 57 BIRTHDAY!

LOCAL CHURCH

PHOTO | SUBMITTED

PHOTO | joe merlihan

Spreading the Hockeyville message

ALL PUMPED UP Woolwich LL#1 faced LL#3, the St. Jacobs Lions, in the consolation game of a Clifford tournament last weekend, which St. Jacobs won. The two teams got together after the game to take a photo and chant “Woolwich is Hockeyville.”

SERVICES DIRECTORY

ACCELERATING building relationships with God, one another and the world

Series: Exploring Life’s Great Questions About God

“Why should I believe the Bible?”

%## 5TeafjT__bj 7e! 8_`\eT 519-669-1296 Check out our website www.woodsidechurch.ca

Trinity United Church ELMIRA

Sunday School During Worship

Minister: Rev. Dave Jagger Sunday Worship: 10:55am

Visit our new website on: www.wondercafe.ca %$ 4eg[he Fg! Abeg[ 6[heV[ BYÐVX ($, )), (()# ÄBhe `\ff\ba \f gb _biX _XTea TaW _\iX Ul 6[e\fgÇf gXTV[\aZfÅ

Call 519.669.5790 ext 104 to order or stop into our office

~Lovingly remembered by your wife Ina daughter Sharon and Peter and grandchildren Angie & Natalie

With Love your Family

FOCUS Hannah Weber of the Woolwich Wild Atom girls charges after a puck in the final game of a Wilmot tournament last weekend. Woolwich finished second, after losing to Waterloo in a shootout.

Sunday, February 1, 2009 9:15am & 11:00am

The special years will never return when our family was all together, But the precious memories we will hold, Will keep you with us forever.

Silver finish for Atom girls

P L A C E S O F FA I T H

Show e Someoanre you c

You did so many things for us, Your heart so kind and true, And when we needed someone, we could always count on you.

OTTMAN, Gloria. Thanks to all family and friends for the many cards, flowers, donations, and support in the loss of our dear mother, mother in-law, grandmother, great granny, sister, aunt and friend. Thanks to Father Robert Hétu for the lovely service and to everyone that attended. Special thanks to Holly Scott for sharing her loving memories of a wonderful grandmother and best friend. To the nursing staff at Heritage for their kind care of Gloria. Mom will be dearly missed. Sincerely, the Chapman, Meyer, and Ottman families.

Fax...............................519.669.5753 Email............................ads@observerxtra.com

FAMILY ALBUM

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

Your Spiritual Growth

SUNDAY, FEB 1, 2009

HEARING ASSISTED

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

NURSERY PROVIDED

SUNDAY SCHOOL

Welcome to

CALVARY UNITED St. Jacobs

Upbeat Family Worship & Sunday School 10:00 am

J[XX_V[T\e TVVXff\U_X AhefXel 6TeX cebi\WXW ;XTe\aZ 4ff\fgXW

'+ ;Tj^Xfi\__X EW! 519-664-2311

SUNDAYS, 8:30 & 11:00AM WEDNESDAYS, 7:00PM (with Childrens’ Programs) IMPACT YOUTH: Fridays, 7:30pm TWENTY20: Sundays, 7:00pm (2nd & 4th Sundays monthly)

Pastors Steve & Beth Fleming

850 Sawmill Rd, Bloomingdale 744-7447 www.kcf.org

JOIN US

SUNDAYS AT

10:30AM & 6:30PM %,# 4eg[he Fg! Fbhg[ 8_`\eT 519-669-3973

www.ElmiraAssembly.com (Across from Tim Horton’s)

It’s Shocking to Serve! Sundays @ 10:30am John Mahood PS

( 9\efg Fg! 8_`\eT 519-669-1459 www.elmiracommunity.org

B M C Pastor: Mary Mae Schwartzentruber Sundays - 9:45 am Family Worship Service 11:00 am Sunday School for all ages

$$($ FalWXeÇf 9_Tg EW! 5_bb`\aZWT_X 519-745-2411 www.bloomingdalemennonite.com

“Making Faith Live” Sunday Worship 9:15 am - 10:15am

Faithsteps 10:30am - 11:50am

% 9\efg Fg! 8_`\eT 519-669-5030

S. T C C

No God, No Hope; Know God, Know Hope! Celebrate Eucharist with us Mass times are:

Sat. 5pm, Sun. 9am and 11:15am

$, 9_T`\aZb 7e! 8_`\eT 519-669-3387

EVENTS CALENDAR Âť CLASSIFIEDS | SERVICES | REAL ESTATE | FAMILY ALBUM |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

DEATH NOTICES HOFFMAN, Idella Margaret (Knechtel)

WIDEMAN Josiah B.

- Peacefully at her home Chateau Gardens, on Tuesday, January 27, 2009 in her 100th year.

â€“ On Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at his residence in his 96th year, of RR3, Wallenstein.

â€œA GOOD JOB DONE EVERY TIMEâ€?

Kleensweep Carpet Care

obituary

On Wednesday, January 28, 2009 at Freeport Health Centre of Grand River Hospital. Anthony Striegel age 89 years of Elmira. Beloved husband of Magdalena. Dear father of Anne and Don Edgar, Andrew and Tina Striegel all of Elmira, Loriann and Reynold Brandt of Wroxeter. Also lovingly remembered by his 12 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren, 1 great great grandchild, and by his 2 cousins George Striegl and Katherine Findeis. Predeceased by 2 great great grandchildren. At Anthonyâ€™s request cremation has taken place. There will be no funeral home visitation or funeral service. Arrangements entrusted to the Dreisinger Funeral Home, Elmira.

West Montrose, ON

T. 519.669.2033 COLLEEN

Cell: 519.581.7868

Truck & Trailer Maintenance Cardlock Fuel Management

COMMERCIAL 24 CARDLOCK FUEL DEPOT HOUR

ÂťSUDOKU

SOLUTIONS â€˘ Design â€˘ Installation â€˘ Custom Fabrication

EASY

519.669.5105

P.O. BOX 247, ROUTE 1, ELMIRA

24-HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE

TOTAL

MEDIUM

HOME ENERGY SYSTEMS

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL

YOUR OIL, PROPANE, NATURAL GAS AND AIR CONDITIONING EXPERTS

11 HENRY ST. - UNIT 9, ST. JACOBS

519.664.2008

HARD

SANYO CANADIAN

MACHINE WORKS INCORPORATED

Âť CROSSWORD SOLUTION + $ ' 6 7 ' ( & & $

$ / ( 3 + $ 7 $ / /

6 7 $ , 5 % $ 1 $ /

& 2 3 2 : / % ( <

3 , 7 2 / 5 1 $ / 2 % 6 8 $ 7 , 5 / , 6 6 + 7 2 / / ( 2 & ( + 6 6 6

& 5 2 & 9 $ , 1 ' 3 + , /

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2 3 $ / 6

( 5 1 , (

$ * + $

$ 2 1 (

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5 % ( $ 5 5 8 0 1 1 ( $ 6 & $ / 6 ( , / 7 2 1 6 2 ' 6 % 5 $ , / 3 /

33 Industrial Dr., Elmira 519.669.1591

( 7 $ * $ 5 2 7 ( RETAIL STORE STORE RETAIL

. + $ . ,

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s %LECTRICAL 3UPPLIES s .EW 6ACUUMS s 6ACUUM 2EPAIRS s 0ARTS !CCESSORIES s !LL MAKES AND MODELS 9 CHURCH STREET EAST, ELMIRA

519.669.8362

Allen Morrison, Agent/Owner Allen Morrison Insurance Inc.

Life

Investments

25 Industrial Drive, Elmira, ON N3B 3K3

Group

3435 Broadway St. Hawkesville

519-699-4641 www.freybc.com JANUARY 31

ÂťÂť Spaghetti Dinner & Salad Bar â€“ Royal Canadian Legion, 11 First St. E., Elmira. Two sittings: 5 p.m. & 7 p.m. Tickets purchased in advance at the Legion. Call 519-669-2932. Adults $10; Children 5-10 yrs. $4; Under 5 yrs $2. FEBRUARY 1

ÂťÂť First Time in Concert â€“ Heading Home Trio, at Waterloo North Presbyterian Church; 7 p.m., free-will offering; 685 Highpoint Ave. at Northfield Drive and Westmount Road. Wheelchair accessible; 519-888-7870. FEBRUARY 3

ÂťÂť Caregiver Coffee Hour 10-11:30 a.m. This group meets at Chateau Gardens. WCHC and the Alzheimers Society are your hosts. A video â€œThe First Snowfallâ€? will be viewed with opportunity for discussion and sharing. Call Lorraine at 519-6643794, ext. 229 for more information. ÂťÂť Cholesterol Solutions â€“ 1-3 p.m. Learn easy ways to improve cholesterol level. Call 519-664-3794.

Bus.:519.669.2632 Fax: 519.669.4282

Business

FREE CONSULTATION

After Hours Emergency Services: 1-800-465-2667

Farm

â€˘ Total Denture Care Travel

Email: allen_morrison@cooperators.ca

www.cooperators.ca â€˘ Same Day Service Disability

on Repairs and Relines â€˘ Metal Partial - Soft Relines â€˘Since Implants 1987 - DentureTech â€˘Since DENTURE SPECIALIST 1995 - Denturist

$%.452%

DENTURE Vinolea Jahandari DD

â€˘ ELMIRA Total Denture Care â€˘ Same day service on and relines 15repairs Memorial Ave., Since 1987 - DentureTech â€˘ Elmira Metal Partial - Soft Relines 1995 - Denturist (Behind Bank of Montreal) â€˘ DENTURE SPECIALIST

519.669.1535 KITCHENER

FREE CONSULTATION 519.744.9770 ELMIRA â€˘ Total Denture Care KITCHENER 519-669-1535 â€˘ Same Day Service519-744-9770 15 Memorial Ave., Elmira (behind Bank of Montreal) on Repairs and Relines â€˘ Metal Partial - Soft Relines â€˘ Implants â€˘ DENTURE SPECIALIST

Elzeâ€™s Vinolea Jahandari DD

ÂťÂť Health Education Session â€“ 10:15-11:15 a.m. at Woolwich Community Health Centre. Topic: Food, drug and herbal interactions. Everyone welcome. No registration. No fees.

Wonderful 519.669.1535

FEBRUARY 7

(Behind Bank of Montreal)

ÂťÂť Alma Optimist Plunger Plop 9 a.m. â€“ 2:30 p.m. There are more than 50 teams competing from across Ontario. Alma Skating Rink, Alma.

MILLWRIGHTS LTD.

DENTURE

Auto

FEBRAURY 5 MATERIAL HANDLING & PROCESSING SYSTEMS

Since 1987 - DentureTech Since 1995 - Denturist

Home

Rugs and Upholstery

â€˘Residential â€˘Commercial â€˘Personalized Service â€˘Free Estimates

Striegel, Anthony.

Skilled craftsmanship. Quality materials. CONSTRUCTION STARTS HERE.

FEBRUARY 8

ÂťÂť Hungrymanâ€™s Breakfast in support of The Childrenâ€™s Wish Foundation 8 a.m â€“ 1 p.m. All you can eat $5. Royal Canadian Legion, 11 First St. E., Elmira. FEBRUARY 11

ELMIRA

15 Memorial Ave., Elmira

Wines

A Fine Wine Establishment

KITCHENER

519.744.9770

29 Church St. W., Elmira

519.669.0799

ÂťÂť Special Worship â€“ Love Is ... Everyone is welcome to join us for a special contemporary worship at Trinity United, 21 Arthur St. N., Elmira, 7 p.m. Families welcome and refreshments provided. FEBRUARY 14

ÂťÂť Woolwich Community Lions present Country Nâ€™ Rock Valentineâ€™s Dance with line band, Moonshine. Doors open at 8 p.m. (no reserved tables). Band starts at 9 p.m., Elmira Lions Hall, $15/person. There is a prize table and roses are available for your valentine. All proceeds to the Woolwich Memorial Centre and community betterment. Tickets are available at Brownâ€™s Menswear (Elmira), Pampered & Polished (Elmira) or by calling Julie at 519-669-8629. Tickets may also be available at the door â€“ no guarantees. ÂťÂť Alma Optimists Host Regional Plunger Plop for Optimist Clubs; 10 a.m. Alma Skating Rink, Alma ÂťÂť Elimination Draw and Valentineâ€™s Dance â€“ 8 p.m. â€“ 1 a.m. featuring The Jeff Tanner Band. St. Clements Community Centre. Tickets, $25, include admission, midnight lunch and live entertainment. Chance of winning numerous cash prizes up to $1,000 grand prize. Donâ€™t miss out on this fundraiser to support your local recreation facilities. Ticket information: Trevor at 519-699-5792, e-mail stc_rec@ yahoo.ca. Presented by St. Clements Recreation Services Board. ÂťÂť Maryhill C.W.L. & K. of C. Valentineâ€™s Day Supper. Ham, scalloped potatoes and fixings. A flower for your special lady. Seatings at 5:30 or 7 p.m., Maryhill Heritage Community Centre. Adults $14; children (6-12) $7. Tickets must be purchased by Feb. 9. Contact: Mike 519-648-3394, Mary 519-822-9287, Bob 519-836-8271. FEBRUARY 15

ÂťÂť In Concert â€“ Reunion â€“ 7 p.m. at Waterloo North Presbyterian Church. A donâ€™tmiss gospel concert of easy-listening songs. Free-will offering. For more information, call 519-888-7870. FEBRUARY 16

ÂťÂť Grand River Heritage Day Workshop from 8:30 a.m. â€“ 4:30 p.m. at the Wilmot Recreation Complex. Theme â€œRural Routes â€“ Rural Roots: A Heritage View of the Countrysideâ€?. The event will showcase Woolwich, Wilmot and Wellesley townships. Registration is free and limited to a first-come, first served basis. Please register by Feb. 6. For more information, call Township of Wilmot at 519-634-8444. FEBRUARY 17

ÂťÂť Lunch at Gale Presbyterian Church 11 a.m. â€“ 1 p.m., 2 Cross St., Elmira. Chicken divine, rice, spinach salad, rolls, rocky road cheesecake and beverage; $9 per person, also soup and roll to go $3. Take outs available, everyone welcome. Call 519-669-2852.

New to the Community? Do you have a new Baby? Itâ€™s time to call your Welcome Wagon Hostess. Elmira & Surrounding Area

SHARON GINGRICH 519.291.6763

elmirawelcomewagon@sympatico.ca

Be Prepared For Winter!

519.669.2884 21 Industrial Dr., Elmira

NANCY KOEBEL

Bus: 519.895.2044 ext. 217 Home: 519.747.4388

Individual life insurance, mortgage insurance, business insurance, employee benefits programs, critical illness insurance, disability coverage,

RRSPs, RESPs, RRIFs, LIFs and Annuities.

Submit calendar listings to info@observerxtra.com

Suite 800, 101 Frederick St., Kitchener

28 | BACK PAGE

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, January 31, 2009

Elmira 315 Arthur St. S., Elmira

Shuttle Bus Services

1/2 PRICE SALE

Winter Purses & Wallets 50% Off Regular Price

SERVICE RUNS Wednesday, Friday & Saturday PICKUP AND DROP-OFF LOCATIONS & TIMES Old Store (6 Arthur St. N.)......9:30, 10:30, 11:30, 12:30 Dunke St. Apartments.............9:45, 10:45, 11:45, 12:45 Wyatt St. Apartments..............10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 1:00

For more information call: 519-669-5403

Reading Glasses

1 for $10 | 2 for $15 Reg. $19.99 ea.

Lov Lov e Frog & Just Ine Monkey ValenTtiime for n Day e’s

Everyone is welcome to use our shuttle service. Doug & Mary Lou Pagett Proud Owners & Operators

1 Union St., Elmira | 519.669.3072 | www.elmiragiftoutlet.com Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9:30-5:30; Saturday 9:30-5:00; Closed Sundays

TAKES THE LEAD...

Did you know you have cancer-fighting powers?

Well, you do. You (yes, you!) can fight cancer by becoming a volunteer with the Canadian Cancer Society. All you need to do is spend three hours selling daffodils or canvassing door to door, and you’ll be helping us fund research to help more Canadians survive cancer. And that’s a powerful thing. Three hours for you, a lifetime to a cancer survivor. To volunteer, visit cancer.ca/volunteerpower or contact your local Canadian Cancer Society office.

Waterloo Region

(519) 886-8888

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Let’s Make Cancer History WWW.OBSERVERXTRA.COM | 519.669.5790 EXT 104

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